News Release

America's 250th: Gaining Independence on the Frontier

A living historian demonstrates woodworking.

NPS

News Release Date: April 22, 2024

Contact: Jody Mays, 606-248-2817

MIDDLESBORO, Kentucky — Immerse yourself in 1700s frontier life during the “Gaining Independence on the Frontier” event this weekend at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park! Watch living historians demonstrate tanning hides, blacksmithing, leatherworking, basketweaving, and more from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

This special, 3-day event kicks off a multi-year series of programs the park will offer to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of America. “America is so much more than one moment in time,” said Superintendent Lisa Baldwin. “Our nation began forming long before 1776. It has been shaped by many peoples, cultures, triumphs, failures, events, struggles, and more. America’s 250-plus year journey toward a more perfect union continues today. Over the next 3 years, the park is planning to hold numerous events to help recognize, remember, and reflect on Cumberland Gap’s many connections to that 250-year journey.”

We invite you to bring your family to enjoy fun and free activities, earn a Junior Ranger badge, see blacksmithing and basketweaving, and discover what life in the 1700s was like around Cumberland Gap! Event activities will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in front of the park’s main visitor center, which is located along Highway 25E in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Call 606-248-2817 for more information.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park preserves the historic Cumberland Gap, a key point for crossing the Appalachians that became known as the First Gateway to the West. Located where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, the park’s 24,000 acres includes 85 miles of hiking trails, front and backcountry camping, a historic Appalachian settlement, cave and rock formations, and 14,000 acres of managed wilderness. The visitor center in Middlesboro, Kentucky, is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. Entrance is free. For more information visit our website or Facebook page.www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 429 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.