Great Smoky Mountains National Park stretches across more than 522,000 acres along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. But its creation faced a major hurdle when rising land prices pushed the cost of acquiring the forest beyond what supporters had raised.By 1928, supporters had raised $5 million to purchase land for the proposed park. But land prices had risen sharply, doubling the cost of the property and bringing the campaign to a standstill.The breakthrough came when the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund donated another $5 million. The gift matched the money already raised and helped supporters buy the remaining land needed to establish the park.
A park that had to be bought
The idea of creating a national park in the Great Smoky Mountains had been around since the late 1890s. Supporters wanted to protect the forests and mountains of the Southern Appalachians for future generations.But unlike some of the older national parks in the western US, the government did not already own the land.The Smokies were home to hundreds of farmers, while large timber and paper companies controlled huge areas of forest. Buying the land meant convincing families to sell their farms and companies to give up forests, rail tracks, logging equipment, and other property.There was also a debate over whether the area should become a national forest or a national park. A national forest could allow activities such as timber cutting and grazing, while a national park would give greater priority to protecting the landscape and natural resources.
Motorists helped drive the campaign
The campaign gained momentum in the 1920s, with major support coming from Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina.The two cities had competed over where the park should be located, but eventually backed a plan to protect a large area between them.Car owners also became important supporters. Automobile clubs wanted better roads through scenic parts of the country, and the growing popularity of cars made the mountains easier for visitors to reach.In May 1926, President Calvin Coolidge signed legislation providing for the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park, as per the National Park Service (NPS).The law said the Interior Department could take responsibility for the Smokies once 150,000 acres had been purchased.Because the government could not simply buy the land for the proposed park, supporters had to raise the money themselves.
$5 million was not enough
Tennessee and North Carolina each contributed $2 million towards buying the land. Individuals, private groups and even schoolchildren also contributed.By 1928, the campaign had collected $5 million.But the money was no longer enough. Land prices had doubled, leaving supporters without enough funds to complete the purchases.That was when the Rockefeller family stepped in.John D. Rockefeller Jr., who had supported the creation of parks in the eastern United States, suggested that the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund donate $5 million in memory of his mother.The donation matched the $5 million already raised and helped the campaign purchase the remaining land.About 85% of the park’s land was eventually bought from 18 logging companies. The rest came from about 1,200 individual landowners. Some people were allowed to continue living on their former properties under lifetime leases.
