National Park Service archive opens in Townsend, TN

Officials unveiled the new National Park Service Collections Preservation Center in Townsend, Tennessee during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, May 6, 2016.

“We’re all excited to announce the completion of this new facility that will enable us to better protect and preserve the cultural treasures in our care,” Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash said.

The new 14,000-square-foot facility will house more than 418,000 artifacts and 1.3 million archival records from the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Big South Fork National Recreation Area, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Obed Wild and Scenic River.

“This facility honors those families that once lived in the Park,” U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Maryville, said. “It will also help us, especially our children and grandchildren, to learn about our history. They can better know what it means to be an American.”

The collections will be moved into the facility later this year. They contain a wide range of items including tools, clothing, pottery, furniture, household items, photographs, documents and archaeological specimens dating back 8,000 years.

Read full story…

 

The following are paid links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.