Park officials at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have announced that Newfound Gap road (US 441) will be closed from sunset on September 1 until late afternoon on September 2.
The closure is necessary for the 75th Anniversary Park Rededication event being held on September 2 at the Newfound Gap Parking Area.
The park expects to host about 2,000 guests for this event. The closure enables the park to safely and effectively manage the event.
Tags: Cherokee, Gatlinburg, Newfound Gap Road, Smokies 75th Anniversary
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Wilma Maples, the 86 year old owner of the historic Gatlinburg Inn is donating 104 acres of woodland to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The property is located near Cove Mountain between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. She has always considered the property as a special getaway for her and her late husband, R.L. Maples.
This is the largest private land donation to the park in a decade.
Maples was quoted in The Mountain Press as saying “I get so sick of seeing midnight rentals on every hillside.”When I die, I didn’t want the land to be sold and have the same thing happen up there. I don’t want to be part of tearing up the earth.”
Park officials say that the property could become part of the final path on the uncompleted Foothills Parkway Project.
Kudos to Mrs. Maples on her generous donation in a time in which alot of the landscape surrounding the national park as sliced, diced and sold off to developers.
Our hats are off to you Mrs. Maples!
Tags: Gatlinburg, Gatlinburg Inn, Land Donation, National Park
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The Smoky Mountain Jam, formally the Knoxville Thunderbolts, are close to signing a deal to play the 2009-2010 season in Pigeon Forge.
Rick Williams, one of the Jam’s owners said “We’re waiting on the final contract to be drawn up.”
The 2009-2010 American Basketball season will probally be played at Pigeon Forge High School. Pigeon Forge principal Perry Schrandt has signed off on these plans.
“We’re around. We’re set to move into Pigeon Forge,” Williams said. “People are very excited about it. We’re looking at a two-year commitment and property to buy.”
Tags: Knoxville Thunderbolts, Pigeon Forge, Smoky Mountain Jam
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Mountain Splendour at Museum of East TN
The Museum of East Tennessee History is featuring a new exhibit called “Mountain Splendour”. This exhibit showcases how the Great Smoky Mountains has inspired homegrown and visiting artists for over a century.
The Mountain Splendour exhibit includes 60 paintings, photographs and sketches by more than two dozen artists from 1850 – 1950, including Charles Krutch, Louis E. Jones, Jim Thompson and E.T.H. Foster.
The exhibit celebrates the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 75th Anniversary.
Click here for more information
Tags: Mountain Splendour, Museum of East Tennessee
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The Alcoa Foundation and Alcoa Inc has awarded grants to non-profit organizations that help the Great Smoky Mountains.
The Trails Forever initative by Friends of the Smokies got a $25,000 grant. Trails Forever is working towards funding a third permanent maintenance crew for the park as well training and support for volunteers.
Friends of the Smokies says that more cres are required to adequately keep up the trails. Two crews are currently working in the park, one on the Tennessee side and another crew on the North Carolina side.
This grant will also help cover the cost for the Park’s Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program.
Several other park programs such as the Great Smoky Mountains Institute’s Citizen Science program and the National Parks Conservation Association’s Shuttle pilot program received grant money.
The Citizen Science program offers non-scientists the opportunity to get hands-on expereince with real research programs. The Institute received $20,000 in grant money.
The National Parks Conservation Association received $17,000 for it’s shuttle program that will help cut back on polution due to vehicle traffic in the Cades Cove area.
Tags: Alcoa Foundation, Friends of the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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