Cumberland Gap

https://www.nps.gov/cuga/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_Gap_National_Historical_Park Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located at the border between Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. he Cumberland Gap is a sizable natural break in the Appalachian Mountains. The park lies in parts of Bell and Harlan counties in Kentucky, Claiborne County in Tennessee, and Lee County in Virginia. The park contains the Kentucky-Virginia-Tennessee tri-state area, accessible via a short trail. The Cumberland Gap Visitor Center is located on U.S. Highway 25E just southeast of Middlesboro, Kentucky and just northwest of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel and Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. The visitor center features a museum with interactive exhibits about the Gap's role as a transportation corridor, an auditorium that shows films about the area's cultural and natural history, a book store and the Cumberland Crafts gift shop with crafts from Appalachia. Cumberland Gap was the first great gateway to the west. Come follow the path of bison, Native Americans, longhunters, and pioneers. Walk where 300,000 people crossed the Appalachians to settle America. Explore 85 miles of trails and 14,000 acres of wilderness. Stand in 3 states at once. Explore a cave, see Hensley Settlement, or camp under the stars. Come find your connection to Cumberland Gap. By Plane The closest major airport is located in Knoxville, Tennessee approximately 85 miles away. Flights can also be made into Lexington, Kentucky approximately 130 miles away. By Car The park entrance is located on Highway 25E just south of Middlesboro Kentucky. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Visitor Center The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Visitor Center is located on U.S. Highway 25E just south of Middlesboro, Kentucky. The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Visitor Center is located on U.S. Highway 25E just south of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Wilderness Road Campground This 150-site campground is located approximately 3 miles from the park visitor center off of Highway 58 in Virginia. 20-, 30- and 50-amp electrical hookups are available at 43 of the sites. Hot showers and potable water are located in the comfort stations. Camping rigs up to 50 feet can be accommodated at some sites. Sites are accessed through paved loop roads. Most of the sites require backing in with the exception of one pull through site. Campsite with Electricity 24.00 $24.00 per night per site with electrical hookup. Campsite with Electricity - Senior 12.00 $12.00 per night per site with electrical hookup for Senior or Access Pass holders. Campsite without Electricity 18.00 $18.00 per night per site for sites with no electricity. Campsite without electricity - Senior 9.00 $9.00 per night per site for tent sites with no electricity for Senior or Access Pass holders. Group Camping 39.00 Group camp sites are available. Cost is $39.00 per night per site. A blacktop road with trees near and a brown building to the right. A walkway with railing and colorful trees along the side. Potable water located to the right of the entrance station. A blacktop road with red and yellow cables to the left. A light blue sky with green mountains. A blue sky with trees and mountains. Brown leaves on the ground with wood laying around, colorful trees surrounding, and a picnic table to the right. A sidewalk with a brown building to the left. Hensley Settlement Hensley Settlement Weathered log cabins greet visitors to Hensley Settlement Mountain View View from the Pinnacle Overlook View from the Pinnacle Overlook Pioneers Crossing Creek Pioneers History comes alive Hiker in Sand Cave Sand Cave Sand Cave is a massive sandstone rockshelter found in the backcountry Gap Cave Cleopatra's Pool in the Gap Cave Cleopatra's Pool is located deep in the Gap Cave Bat Projects in Parks: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Find out how batty Cumberland Gap National Historic Park is for bats! Tricolored bat hanging from a rock wall NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. ridge and valley with fog 2018 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients In 2018, six talented National Park Service employees were awarded the Freeman Tilden Award for their amazing and innovative interpretive programs. Ranger in a canyon with a typewriter on a table The Border States The existence of divided populations in Border States had a profound impact on Union and Confederate strategy-both political and military. Each side undertook military and political measures--including brutal guerilla warfare-- in their attempts to control areas of divided loyalty and hostile moral and political views held by local civilians. Painting showing removal of Missouri civilians from their homes by Union troops Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Paleozoic Era During the Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago), fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains. Common Paleozoic fossils include trilobites and cephalopods such as squid, as well as insects and ferns. The greatest mass extinction in Earth's history ended this era. fossil corals in a rock matrix Mississippian Period—358.9 to 323.2 MYA The extensive caves of Mammoth Cave and Wind Cave national parks developed in limestone deposited during the Mississippian. Warm, shallow seas covered much of North America, which was close to the equator. fossil crinoid Silurian Period—443.8 to 419.2 MYA Excellent exposures and well-preserved fossils in Silurian rocks of Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve provide clues to the timing of the assembly of Alaska’s assembly from a variety of continental fragments. fossil corals in a rock matrix Paleozoic Era During the Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago), fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains. Common Paleozoic fossils include trilobites and cephalopods such as squid, as well as insects and ferns. The greatest mass extinction in Earth's history ended this era. fossil corals in a rock matrix Blanket Cave National Youth Park—Activity Enjoy a fun activity and learn about caves even when you can't get out to a park. In this activity you will build your own cave and learn how to make it like a "real" natural cave. Find out about cave formations and wildlife, and how to be safe and care for caves. New "Blanket Cave National Youth Parks" are springing up all across America! Join the fun! cartoon drawing of a childs and a park ranger exploring a cave 1768 Boundary Line Treaty of Fort Stanwix Nicknamed "the Fort Stanwix Land Lottery and Sweepstakes Treaty" by James H. Merrill in his book Into the American Woods: Negotiations on the Pennsylvania Frontier, the 1768 Boundary Line Treaty of Fort Stanwix was controversial before the ink dried on the parchment on November 2. Four papers with cursive handwriting and ink smudges crowded on them. Women in Fire Science: Alicia Schlarb Alicia Schlarb is the lead fire effects monitor for a portion of the National Park Service's Southeast Region. She and her crew provide prescribed burning, monitoring, and wildland fire responses to national parks located within Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and portions of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida. She loves fire and that she can change perceptions about wildland fire through science. Alicia Schlarb. Series: Native History of the Oneida Carry Many Native Americans lived and died in the vicinity of the Oneida Carry. Tribes, families, and individuals were often pulled in different directions as the European world invaded theirs. Learn more of this history here. Overhead of an old map with a large fence, shaped like a hexagon with little buildings inside. Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Series: The Treaties of Fort Stanwix The history of Fort Stanwix, from first contact through the end of the fort's useful military life, symbolizes the broader contest of nations (European, United States and American Indian) for economic and political control of the Oneida Carrying Place, the Mohawk Valley, the homelands of the Six Nation Confederacy, and the rich resources of North America. The following web pages focus on treaties and land transactions negotiated and concluded at Fort Stanwix. An old parchment paper document. In the top margin Project Profile: Control Invasive Plants in Appalachia The National Park Service will hire a biological technician and two interns to assist the Southeast Region Invasive Plant Management Team (SE IPMT) in coordinating Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) efforts, provide training to parks, and work with parks to complete additional treatments to manage invasive plants. a person with a weed sprayed backpack stands next to vegetation Bats and Rats at Cumberland Gap: Inventories Inform Management Decisions To make management decisions at White Rocks, staff at Cumberland Gap NHP needed information on whether the cliffs are used by two at-risk wildlife species: Allegheny woodrats and eastern small-footed bats. A species inventory told them what they needed to know. A bat rests on orange granite. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 16, No. 1, Spring 2024 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo of a mountain hillside with flowers. A Georgia State University and National Park Service Collaboration: Fossil Fact Sheets in the Southeast Region A partnership between Georgia State University and the NPS Paleontology Program has enabled more focused paleontological resource support in parks in the Southeast Region of the U.S. During the past several years students mentored by Dr. Christy Visaggi have helped to complete paleontological resource inventories in several parks in the southeast region uncovering the fossil records of these parks. Photo of 3 people standing in front of a poster display. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Guide to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) Southeast Region Collection This finding aid describes the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) Southest Region Collection, part of the NPS History Collection. Project Profile: A Strategic Approach to Building Forest Resiliency in Southeast Parks The National Park Service is addressing the climate change vulnerability of southeast park ecosystems. Fall-colored trees on a mountain slope. A tree is in the right-side foreground. Project Profile: Eliminate Safety Hazard at Chadwell Gap Mine The National Park Service will install a new wildlife-friendly steel gate at Chadwell Gap Mine in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park to eliminate a public safety and wildlife hazard. The new wildlife-friendly structure will provide protection for wildlife, including federal and state-listed bat species, using the mine and will prevent visitor access. An overlook view of mountains with green trees and fog. I&M Water Quality Data Helps Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Address Aging Infrastructure In 2008, scientists from the Cumberland Piedmont Network found a concerning trend: E. coli levels were too high. The source needed to be identified and addressed for the health and safety of the thousands of humans and animals that enjoyed the park. The network's long-term water quality monitoring program not only helped to identify the issue, but it also provided the tools to evaluate the solution. A person crouches to collect water from a small stream in a vial.

Cumberland Gap Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Kentucky/Tennessee/Virginia National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Official Map and Guide Detail from George Caleb Bingham's Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers through the Cumberland Gap, 1851-2 The Washington University Gallery of Art, St. Louis, Mo. Warrior's Path, Wilderness Road Stand at Cumberland Gap and watch the procession of civilization, marching single file—the buffalo following the trail to the salt springs, the Indian, the fur-trader and hunter, the cattleraiser, the pioneer farmer—and the frontier has passed by. Frederick Jackson Turner, 1893 Cumberland Gap had long been used to cross the Appalachians. The American Indians learned of it by following the buffalo, and it had become a major route to the hunting grounds of Kentucky. The gap was also an important feature on the Warrior's Path that led south from the Potomac River, across the gap, and north to the Ohio River. From Maine to Georgia the Appalachian Mountains rose like a giant wall, protecting the American colonies from their enemies: the French in Canada and American Indians to the west. Land transportation was primitive, and the nearly trackless mountains that offered security to the colonists also kept the growing population confined along the eastern seaboard. In the South, though, In 1750 the first white explorers came upon the gap. Thomas Walker had been hired to stake out an 800,000-acre grant beyond the mountains of the Blue Ridge. After two months of searching, Walker and his companions returned home. They had not found the Kentucky bluegrass, but they did find the gap that would lead settlers to the Early History Long before people came here, bison and deer in search of food trampled a path through the gap. For Indians the gap was a vital pass to hunting grounds in what would later be Kentucky. It was also the key pass on the Athawominee (path of the armed ones), or the Warrior's Path, the trail of trade and war. The trail today (left) is nothing like the original trail, which was four feet wide and densely forested. region. Colonists couid not immediately take advantage of the trail through the mountains because wars with the French and the Indians kept the western frontier closed. When peace returned hunters began crossing the mountains. Daniel Boone spent two years exploring alone, then returned to North Carolina. In 1775, after the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, in which a large portion of the Kentucky country was obtained from the Cherokee Indians, Boone and 30 men marked out the Wilderness Trail from Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. Immigration began immediately, and by the end of the Revolutionary War some 12,000 persons had crossed into the new territory. By 1792 the population Camping and Picnicking The 160-site Wilderness Road Campground is in Virginia on U.S. 58. Each site has a pull-in (some are adequate for large trailers and RVs), picnic table, and grill. Running water and restrooms with flush toilets and electric lights are available. There are 49 sites with electric hookups. An amphitheater, nature trails, and a picnic area are near the campground. Campgrounds on the Ridge Trail are accessible by foot only. They are primitive, and permits are required. Contact the park for information. Gap declined in importance, but it had overseen the opening of the first American West. In the 1790s traffic on the Wilderness Road increased. Between 1780 and 1810 from 200,000 to 300,000 people had crossed the gap heading west. Each year large herds of livestock were driven east. As it had been for the Indians, the gap was an important route of commerce and transportation. Daniel Boone No name is more associated with Cumberland Gap and the opening of the West than Daniel Boone's. He was not the first person to see the gap, to explore Kentucky, or even to settle there, but this does not reduce his impact upon the land and the people. He embodied qualities admired by frontier people: courage, agility, and strength. In the 1820s and 1830s engineering overcame the mountain wall. The west could be reached via the Erie and Pennsylvania Main Line canals, or on steamboats up the Mississippi River. Cumberland Daniel Boone was born near Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1734. He had little schooling but his innate intelligence complemented his physical abilities. When he was 12 his father gave him a 1775 1792 Cherokee chief Cunne Shote (left) about the time of the American Revolution. Kentucky's population soon topped 100,000, and, in 1792, it was admitted to the Union as the 15th State, the first west of the Allegheny Mountains. That year its state legislature adopted a seal—with two men shaking hands and the motto "United We Stand, Divided We Fall." Daniel Boone (right) sat for this portrait in a Missouri cabin when he was 86. The artist made a pencil sketch and a small oil painting, noting in his diary that Boone reminisced about his early adventures. Boone ca