GSMNP 75th Anniversary

It was on this day, 75 years ago, that the US Congress approved 400,000 acres of park land as an official unit of the National Park System. I thought that some classy old photos might be of interest today, so I did some research and found these photos.

GSMNP Dedication Ceremony

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1940 FDR at Newfound Gap for the official dedication ceremony of the GSMNP, over 6 years after its creation.

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Crowd shot of the official dedication ceremony of the GSMNP

The Appalachian Trail in the GSMNP

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1929 painting Appalachian Trail markers in the GSMNP

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1933 Benton MacKaye on the AT near Newfound Gap

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1941 Nailing up an AT marker

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1931 Smoky Mountains Hiking Club at lean-to on Silers Bald

Newfound Gap

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1911 A family crosses the mountain through Indian Gap, the primary crossing point before Newfound Gap

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1931 Construction of the road through Newfound Gap

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Civilian Conservation Corps working on Newfound Gap (date unknown)

Clingman’s Dome

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1929 Surveyor’s Tower on Clingman’s Dome

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1935 Observation Tower constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps

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Clingman’s Dome Observation Tower (mid 1940s)

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Clingman’s Dome (date unknown)

Logging

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Logging on the Little River near today’s Elkmont Campground

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Example of the effects of logging in the those days

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Another example of the effects of logging in the those days

Charlie’s Bunion

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1937 Charlie’s Bunion

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1941 photo of a family at Charlie’s Bunion

Chestnut Trees

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A dead Chestnut Tree in GSMNP which was estimated to be 270 years-old

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Another example of Chestnut trees of the era

Spence Field

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1924 Hunters at a cabin in Spence Field

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Spence Field as it was in 1935

wow those pics are great . thank you for sharing

Excellent! Love the clarity of black and white photography.

Thanks for the postive feedback. I had a lot fun searching the Internet for the photos. :)

Very nice, MintakaCat. Thank you for sharing the fruits of your research. I really enjoyed them, and when I showed them to my wife before she woke all the way up this morning, she didn't even scowl!

Great Pictures,Thankyou.

Great pics! Especially liked the shots of the chestnut trees.

Great pictures and I truly enjoyed hiking the AT in the GSMNP a few years ago. Thanks for the pictures.

PBS recently did a documentary on George Masa (the guy who took all the pictures to sell the fed gov't on GSMNP). It was amazing the amount an imigrant that who was originally thought to be a japanese spy added to our beautiful country. Well worth checking out. The best part is how charlies bunion was named. George Masa was naming peaks on his pictures and a guy named charlie was complaining about a bunion on his foot. Thus charlies bunion.

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The cabin of Uncle tom and Aunt Sophie Campbell near Gatlinburg. Date: Nov. 10, 1931

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George Masa, Chimney Top at Sunset, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 1920, photograph

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George Masa (1881? - 1933), a native of Japan (born Masabara Izuka)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MintakaCat

Charlie’s Bunion

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1937 Charlie’s Bunion

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1941 photo of a family at Charlie’s Bunion

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These are great pics. What a pic of the Bunion and the day hikers clothing, especially granny's hiking shoes with the flat heel's and dad's tie.

Those are great photos... thanks for finding them all and posting them here.

Awesome pics, thanks!