| Show comments from dixie by E A DAVIS cleveland tenn the great smoky fountains na dional park by far america americas s most popular national park is about to make new at records in fact traffic has been so jammed someone facetiously sug suggested put ting up gates at the two main en trances cherokee in north carolina and gatlinburg in tennessee and when the park is full close them and tell the folks they will have to come back some other time imagine driving 1000 1 miles to see this prim etive wonderland only to have a guide tell you the square quare mile park is full by f 11 is meant as many automobiles as can travel bumper to bumper on the only two main highways that have been dev eloped within the park no 73 from towsend to park headquarters at gatlinburg and from gatlinburg across newfound gap with a side trip to clingman s dome and on to the cherokee indian Reer reservation that is all most visitors see of the great smoky mountains national park there are many great mountains moun tams untouched by highways within the park gregory bald slier siler s bald thunderhead mt alt chapman inabu knob and many others one of A menca s largest stands of virgin hardwoods over acres and 50 acres of red spruce are with in the confines of the park many of these trees are over years old it was on may 22 1926 that dent calvin coolidge signed the bill creating and setting aside for the people this primitive wonderland for years citizens groups group have hane been begging that new highways be de last week a north caro lina tennessee delegation headed by william medford of waynesville Waynes ville N C and paul mathes of chatta called on the department of interior in washington urging that better accommodations to provide for more visitors and the h to hilding of more roads be initiated the re sconce was very encouraging the groups working so tirelessly tirel essly for dev elopement of the park should be supported by more people need particularly to recapture the spirit displayed di played when nationalize nation aliza tion of this thib great area was secured in spite of strong opposition |
