NPS Photo
Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center's (AHSLC) Collections
The National Park Service (NPS) believes it is important to preserve and protect the historical and natural history of each park. NPS collections vary according to park but most collections are a group of artifacts, publications, archives, photographic material, textiles, furnishings, flora and fauna specimens, and other related items that helps researchers when working with the AHSLC network parks.Collections Preservation Center
The National Park Service Collections Preservation Center in Townsend, TN, houses cultural-related museum collections for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Its archives include genealogical information, historic photographs, park management reports, and maps—information about the history of the park, and the people who have called the park area home. Additional materials stored in the center include archeological artifacts, textiles, furnishings, and other historic items relating to the park's history. To access information in the collections, appointments are required.
Use of Archives and Collections at the Collections Preservation Center
Appointments are required: Appointments are available Monday – Friday between the hours of 9 am and 3:30 pm. Only a limited number of researchers can be helped at any one time. We strongly recommend contacting the facility staff well in advance of your desired appointment time. Call 865-448-2247 to schedule an appointment. The center is closed all federal holidays and December 25 through January 1.
Big South Fork National Recreation Area Collections
Big South Fork Recreation Area Big South Fork Recreation Area collections include area and lifestyle studies, cultural conditions, artifacts, and oral histories.
Obed Wild and Scenic River
Obed Wild and Scenic River has collections in their visitor center. Their specimens are divided into the themes of Recreation, Natural History, and Cultural History. They have a Grumman Aluminum Canoe of the 1960s, a long salt-curing box made from a yellow poplar tree in 1862, and 15 different animal species from the Cumberland Plateau.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway stretches 500 miles through North Carolina and Virginia. Amidst its panoramic views lies a rich history of logging, railways, and pre-historic to early European settlements. The Blue Ridge Parkway has an extensive accessible online digital archive that includes history of the parkway construction, scenic views, Parkway Land Use Maps (PLUMS), and other digital assets that are free to download.Database of the Smokies
Database of the Smokies (DOTS) is a free online bibliography of Great Smoky Mountains National Park material published since 2934.. DOTS contains searchable records of books; scholarly and popular journal articles; government and scientific reports; theses and dissertations. maps; digitized photographs,; and travel guides. When copyright restrictions permit, citations are linked to the full text of the published item. Visit DOTS on the University of Tennessee Libraries' Website.
Digitized Park Collections
Online collections that include material from the Great Smoky Mountains NP Archives can be found on the following sites:Western Carolina University Hunter Library - Western Carolina University hosts a digital collection of records relevant to the establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. The collection also includes records on Appalacian National Park Association, Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, Civilian Conservation Corps, and the papers of Horace Kephart.The Open Parks Network - The Open Parks Network is a digital archive maintained by Clemson University and the National Park Service. The database has more than 350,000 cultural heritage objects and 1.5 millions texts, including photographs, drawings, and reports. Materials were drawn from more than 20 national parks, 2 state park systems and 3 university libraries.Last updated: May 9, 2023