THE PRICE OF EMERALDS …a history of the establishment of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park
Christina Love
The Price of Emeralds The Great Smoky Mountains, being part of the Appalachian Mountain chain, have a long and varied history. The Great Smoky Mountains came into being before land mammals evolved to inhabit them. As mammals did evolve, so did human beings. Humanity’s presence in what would eventually be the Great Smoky Mountains can be traced back as early as 14,000 years ago (Appalachia). These mountains have been inhabited by humans ever since. The lands have been battled over by between native peoples, native peoples and settlers, settlers and sponsoring empires, and among settlers themselves. The native flora and fauna of the Great Smoky Mountains have been hunted and used to near or sometimes complete extinction, in some cases to return and flourish, in others, never to be enjoyed again. The mountains have been extensively logged. Only 5% of old growth forest remains to testify to the mountain’s ancient grandeur. Presently, the Great Smoky Mountains enjoy the protection of being a designated national park. Park seems to be such a gentle word to describe such a place. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park was fought for, struggled for, and eventually won. Establishment of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, like any victory, came with many sacrifices and many glories. Ideas for the park began circulating as early as 1880, when Reverend Smith of North Carolina was recorded as having suggest it. The North Carolina General Assembly made a
similar suggestion in 1893 to the state’s delegation in Congress. After years of suggestions, filings, and legislative acts, the park was finally dedicated in 1940 (Frome 173-174). This was only a fraction of the struggle to implement the park. The federal government offered no financial assistance to purchase the land for the park. Differing from park lands in the west, the land needed for the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was privately owned, and 85% of it was owned by profit driven lumber companies (Frome 173). The old growth forests were quickly being harvested. Eventually, through private fund raising, the money would be acquired, with a last minute 5 million dollar gift from John D. Rockefeller. As if the financial tribulations weren’t sufficient, approximately 5600 families were “forced-out” to create the park. Of course, this caused a lot of anger (Janiskee n.p.). One would have to wonder if all the financial challenges, legislative leaps, and forced real estate transfers were worth the creation of one park. It was. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park protects 76 species of threatened or endangered plant species, and 500 rare species. There is an estimated 17,000 different species that call the park home, with an estimated 3050,000 species yet to be discovered (Great Smoky Mountains National Park-Plants n.p.). The park strives to protect the historical culture of the people of the Great Smoky Mountain areas by preserving historic churches, mills, and homes. Because of the nature of the purchase of the park, no fees are associated with visiting the parks. The park is biologically diverse, historically conservative, protected for all future generations, and accessible by all.
The creation of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was not free; it entailed sacrifice. However, the benefit to humanity is still yet unknown. Undiscovered species could mean new cures for diseases. The history encompassed inside the park’s borders is priceless. Without the purchase of the lands for the park, logging would have potentially wiped out many species and much history. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park was hard won, and, with millions of visitors a year, is now much appreciated for its many treasures.
Works Cited Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People. Prod. Jamie Ross. Dir. Ross Spears. Perf. Sissy Spacek, Narrator. Agee Films. Frome, Michael. Strangers in High Places; the Story of the Great Smoky Mountains. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1966. Print. "Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Plants (U.S. National Park Service)." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. National Park Service. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/plants.htm>. Janiskee, Bob. "Park History: Great Smoky Mountains National Park | National Parks Traveler." Commentary, News, and Life in America's Parks | National Parks Traveler. 15 June 2008. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2008/05/park-historygreat-smoky-mountains-national-park>.