Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-2768.jpg
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  • Asheville attorney, was signed by George S. Powell, president, and Dr. Chase P. Ambler, secretary, of the Appalachian National Park Association, on December 19, 1899. The petition contained a wonderful description of the Souther* Appalachians, and particularly of the Great Smokies. The suggested location of the park was outlined on the map. This included the same area now included in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and additional territory adjoining the present boundaries. I he association, from the outset, met with opposition. It was declared that the Congress could do nothing because any action the Federal government might take would interfere with states' rights. 'Ibis resulted in the association carrying its fight before the legislatures of North and South Carolina, 1 ennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Virginia, seeking to have these states cede to the Federal government the right to acquire title and to exempt from taxation land obtained for national park purposes. The legislatures of these six states passed the bills in 1901. In that year, however, another complication developed when it was pointed out the Federal government had already gone on record in opposition to the purchase of land at any future time for national park purposes. As a result, the group of national park advocates changed its name to the Appalachian National Forest Reserve Association. In 1905, the American Forestry Association, by agreement, took charge of the affairs of the Appalachian National Forest Reserve Association. Strong sentiment for support of the national forest reserve plan developed and, after a delay of several years, the Congress passed, in 1911, the Weeks Bill providing for the establishment of forest reserves in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Thus, within a dozen years the advocates of the national park plan obtained, not their original objective, but another valuable asset the establishment of national forest reserves in the Southern highlands. 'To this movement then large credit is due for the setting aside for public purposes of the 80
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).