For centuries, the majesty and mystery of the Great Smoky Mountains have lured mankind. The Cherokee were among the first to build thriving communities here, and backcountry frontiersmen were next to put down roots. In time visitors arrived eager to take in the cool mountain air and returned home with stories of “hillbillies.”
Eventually, civic boosters from western North Carolina and east Tennessee took note and began advocating for the protection of the Great Smoky Mountains. Before a national park could be established, though, there were competing interests to be sorted and a consideration of the lives affected.
Highlights of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park include:
• Draws attention to the region’s photographers such as James E. “Jim” Thompson, E.C. “Jack” Huff, Walter M. Cline Sr., Louis E. Jones, and George Masa and the role their images played in the campaign to establish the national park and subsequently in attracting tourists to the mountains
• Showcases a number of rare postcards held by private collectors
• Deals with regional stereotypes such as the “liquored-
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit arcadiapublishing.com.
