Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Cumberland Gap N.P.

On July 4th of this year, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park celebrated its 50th anniversary. To help commemorate the anniversary, the Middlesboro Daily News published a series of five excellent articles over the course of the last month.

Each article in the series tells a different story — the first looks at the birth and dedication of the park 50 years ago, one looks at the story of Hensley Settlement, another focuses on the success story of many natural resources, plants and animals. Daring searches, fires, and other incidents were also recounted. Perhaps the most amazing story of all, the building of the tunnel and the restoration of the historic Wilderness Road through the Gap will bring the vision of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park full-circle — back to what a few dreamers foresaw as the potential of this beautiful area.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located at the border between Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. It was the first great gateway to the west. Buffalo, Native Americans, hunters and pioneers, including Daniel Boone, traveled this route through the mountains into the wilderness of Kentucky. The region also played a strategic role during the Civil War.




Jeff
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