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WCU - Great Smoky Mountains - A Park for America

Correspondence regarding funding of a museum

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  • This 1934 correspondence, from William Bird of Western Carolina Teachers College to North Carolina congressman Zebulon Weaver, advocates for congressional support of a museum in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the 1950s, William Ernest Bird would become president of the college.
  • fiesta (Uarniina tEeacIjers Q!nIIea,e CULLOWHEE, N. C. May 2, 1934 OFFICE OF THE DEAN Hon. Zebulon Weaver House of Representatives Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Weaver: I wish to acknowledge receipt, and to thank you for year recent letter returning the questionnaire sent out recently relative to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Museum. I note your preference as to serving on sub-committees, and assure you we will be glad to bear this in mind when compiling data for the sub-committees. The Executive Committee, whose duty it will be to appoint the sub-committees, has not met as yet, but we are anticipating an early meeting. I note what you say about the probable ruling permitting the Indians- to sell their own arts and crafts,, and it appears to me that ypur- idea is fine. It is true that the act of purchasing such articles direct from the Indians lends a "thrill" that would not go along with the purchase otherwise. I am wondering, Mr. Weaver, if you have given any thought to possibilities for an appropriation for a museum building in the Great Smokies, and some available fund for maintenance and general expenditure. So far we have no available funds for anything. Perhaps you noticed in the May issue of Nature Magazine that an allotment of $25,000 was made for an addition to the Park Museum in the Mesa Verde National Park. I hope you are giving some serious thought to this, and will be able to help us out. With very best wishes, I am Sincerely yours SLH W. E. Bird, Chairman

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Great Smoky Mountains - A Park for America

This digital collection was created to contribute to the public's understanding of the forces and ideas that led to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. The most vi...

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