The year 2012 marks Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary, and to help commemorate this important milestone, Cumberland Mountain State Park will hold a special community event on Wednesday, July 18, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 

“We are very excited to celebrate Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary this year,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau.  “Cumberland Mountain State Park offers a number of recreational opportunities and amenities from golfing to camping and is certainly a fitting backdrop for one of the many statewide celebrations we are holding throughout the year.  It’s also a great opportunity to thank the park’s many patrons and the local community for their long-time support of this outstanding state park.” 

The event will kick off with a special ceremony honoring the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps and members of Company 3464 for their efforts in constructing Cumberland Mountain in the 1930s.  There also will be displays detailing the history of the park; rangers dressed in CCC attire and sharing stories of the CCC days; various interpretative programs; and live bluegrass music.  Beginning at 11:30 a.m., park staff will serve a special anniversary cake with homemade ice cream. 

The July 18 event will also serve as the premiere of Tennessee State Parks’ new traveling anniversary exhibit, which depicts the programs that helped bring about many of Tennessee’s state parks and most state park systems across the country. Programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration are highlighted, along with elements of other state and federal efforts.  The trailer will spend the next year traveling the state, bringing Tennessee State Parks’ unique story to local communities.

Established in 1933 by the U.S. Congress as a measure of the New Deal program, the Civilian Conservation Corps provided work and vocational training for unemployed young men through conserving and developing the country’s natural resources.  From 1933 to 1942, enrollees performed a variety of conservation activities, including reforestation, soil conservation, road construction, flood and fire control, and agricultural management. In addition to Cumberland Mountain, the CCC was instrumental in the development of a number of Tennessee State Parks, and the results of CCC members’ efforts can still be enjoyed today.

The Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937, and those laws – with modifications and additions over the years – remain the framework for park operations today.  As in most states, Tennessee began in cooperation with federal programs that instigated individual parks. Later, Depression era recovery programs gave a boost to the idea and the possibility of creating parks. The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration worked on land conservation, but also delved further into the actual planning and construction of what would become the first of 54 Tennessee State Parks.

Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in Tennessee.  A 2009 University of Tennessee study highlights the positive economic impacts that state parks provide local communities, particularly in rural areas of the state.  The study found that for every dollar spent on trips to Tennessee State Parks, an additional $1.11 of economic activity was generated throughout the state.  When the direct and indirect expenditures were combined, the impact of Tennessee State Parks to the state’s economy was $1.5 billion in total industry output, supporting more than 18,600 jobs.

“Our vision statement highlights the inherent value of our natural environment, along with the value of the many physical reminders of Tennessee’s past,” said Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill.  “Tennessee’s state parks have played such an important role in our history, and they play a critical role in our health and quality of life, which will benefit Tennesseans well into the future.”

Tennessee’s state parks deliver a rich fabric of natural landscapes, wild places, preserved ecologies, outdoor recreational opportunities and protected historic scenes and resources – together representing the heritage of Tennessee in the landscape.

Tennessee's 54 state parks and 82 state natural areas offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families or business and professional groups.  State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses.  For a free brochure about Tennessee State Parks, call toll free at 888 867-2757. For upcoming events in connection with the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, please visit the state parks website at www.tnstateparks.com.

In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation launched an innovative new microsite at www.tnstateparks75.com. Established in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the microsite displays Tennessee State Parks’ rich heritage and showcases the many outdoor adventures awaiting state park visitors through rich media and dynamic content.

Cumberland Mountain State Park is situated on the Cumberland Plateau – a segment of the great upland, which extends from western New York to central Alabama. It is said to be the largest timbered plateau in America. This 1,720-acre park was acquired in 1938 as a project of the Farm Security Administration to provide a recreational area for some 250 families selected to homestead on the Cumberland Plateau.  For additional information about the park, please call or visit the park’s website at www.tnstateparks.com/CumberlandMtn.