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Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

items 87 of 144 items
  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-2775.jpg
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  • It was found that the money raised by private subscription and that appropriated by the two states was insufficient to purchase till the lands. Other funds were sought. As a result of the personal interest of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., aroused by the enthusiasm and earnest efforts of Arno B. Cammerer, associate director of the National Park Service, who was acting in a personal capacity and not as an official of the Federal government, the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Foundation contributed $5,000,000 toward the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, matching dollar for dollar such funds as had been made available by the citizens of the two states and the states themselves. A condition attached to the gift was that at each main entrance to the park there should be placed a bronze tablet stating the park was established by the citizens of the states of Tennessee and North Carolina and by the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Foundation. The Rockefeller fund became available March 30, 1928, its disbursement being placed under the control of three trustees chosen by the memorial foundation: The chairman of each park commission appointed by the two states and Arno B. Cammerer. Following the announcement of the Rockefeller gift, a program of land acquisition was launched. The lands comprising the area were made up of hundreds of separate tracts belonging to corporations and individuals. A large amount of work was necessary to complete surveys, obtain options, fix valuations, buy some lands outright, and enter condemnation proceedings in the courts for others. On February 6, 1930, North Carolina and Tennessee joined in presenting deeds to the Federal Government for 158,799.21 acres, this being the first tender of the park lands to the government. The work of acquisition has gone forward steadily and within a comparatively short time the entire minimum boundary of 427,000 acres will be deeded to the Federal government and the dream of the national park advocates will become an official reality. 87
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).