Gatlinburg in Sevier County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
National Forest or National Park?
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
1. National Forest or National Park? Marker
Col. David Chapman
The house before you was once leased by Col. David Chapman. A successful Knoxville businessman and a member of the Appalachian Club, he became a driving force in the effort to create Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Not everyone agreed with his vision, however. One opponent was James B. Wright, a fellow member of the Appalachian Club, dedicated conservationist and attorney for the Little River Lumber Company. Wright advocated making the Smokies a national forest, which would allow for continued logging.
Protection of the forest prevailed and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was officially established in 1934. For his work in making the park a reality, Col. Chapman was given a lease to this cabin by the Tennessee Park Commission.
What's the difference?
National parks focus on strict preservation of natural areas "unimpaired for future generations". Park rangers work for the National Park Service, in the Department of the Interior. National forests are managed for multiple-uses
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Captions
(Photo #1) David Chapman. Col. David Chapman (front) was appointed first commissioner of the State of Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains National Park Commission to purchase land for the proposed park. While some federal money was used in the latter stages of land acquisition, much of the funding came from the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, along with a matching $5 million from the Rockefeller Foundation.
(Photo #2) This letter to Chapman from the Assistant Director of the National Park Service contains a veiled reference to John D. Rockefeller who provided funding that helped create this park.
(Photo 3) Some residents saw the park as a threat to their established way of life and opposition was widespread. This warning sign is preserved in the park's artifact's collection. Photograph courtesy Carlos C. Campbell
Erected by Great Smoky Mountains National Park, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
2. National Forest or National Park? Marker
Location. 35° 38.909′ N, 83° 34.978′ W. Marker is in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in Sevier County. It is on Jakes Creek Trail, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located in the Elkmont area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 718 Jakes Creek Trail, Gatlinburg TN 37738, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee and in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, the State of Franklin, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Back to Nature (approx.
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
3. Col. Chapman Cabin
Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 2, 2024
4. Col. Chapman Cabin - Interior
Credits. This page was last revised on November 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 23, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 129 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 23, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
