© All Rights Reserved martgina The Great Smoky Mountains
National Park celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2009. Over 9
million people visit the park each year, making it the most
visited park in the United States. There are 78 historic
buildings in the Park, which is open year round. Spanning the
borders of North Carolina and Tennessee, the Park is a popular
destination for hikers. The Park is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. People have lived in the area which makes up the park
since prehistoric times. By the late 1700s, white settlers found
the area inhabited by Cherokee Indians. The Cherokee were
forcibly removed from the area in the 1830s. The park was
created when the land was purchased from money raised by
individuals, private groups, school children and from trust
funds. Over 1,200 land owners had to leave the Park when it was
purchased. Elk once roamed free in the Smokies but were over-
hunted in the 1800s. In 2001 a program started to re-introduce
elk and other animals and birds to the Park. On high peak