Great Smoky Mountains National Park Dedication
Sevier County, Sevier County, Tennessee
Marker Inscription
For the permanent enjoyment of the people This park was given one half by the peoples and states of North Carolina and Tennessee and by the United States of America and one half in memory of Laura Spellman Rockefeller by the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Memorial founded by her husband John D Rockefeller
The Story
This marker records the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, assembled from lands given by the people and states of North Carolina and Tennessee, the federal government, and a major gift from the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial founded by John D. Rockefeller. Set aside "for the permanent enjoyment of the people," the park protected one of the great forests of the eastern United States. Its founding in the 1930s reflected a rising national commitment to conservation.
Why it matters
It commemorates the making of America's most visited national park and the philanthropy and public spirit behind the conservation movement.
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Related people
- · John D. Rockefeller
- · Laura Spelman Rockefeller
Related events
- · Establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Themes & tags
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