J. Wylie Brownlee Collection
The J. Wylie Brownlee Collection details the Great Smoky Mountains National Park campaign during the mid-1920s. It includes letters to Brownlee, brochures and pamphlets promoting the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its conservation, writings describing the beauty of the Smoky Mountains, empty letterheads, a list of instructions for the organization presidents of the Smoky Mountains Campaign, and a letter from the campaign chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in Asheville, North Carolina with an attached article on the Smoky Mountains and Brownlee's involvement in this movement through the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association.
Dates
- 1924-1926
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (2 folders)
Abstract
The J. Wylie Brownlee Collection details the Great Smoky Mountains National Park campaign during the mid-1920s. It includes letters to Brownlee, brochures and pamphlets promoting the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its conservation, writings describing the beauty of the Smoky Mountains, empty letterheads, a list of instructions for the organization presidents of the Smoky Mountains Campaign, and a letter from the campaign chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in Asheville, North Carolina with an attached article on the Smoky Mountains and Brownlee's involvement in this movement through the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association.
Biographical/Historical Note
John Wylie Brownlee was born 1870 in Washington, Pennsylvania, but set up residence in Knoxville, Tennessee. He married Emma Griffin Brownlee (1890-1964) and had a son named Joseph Griffin Brownlee. He became involved in the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association, helping to promote the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and served as Executive Secretary of the organization during the 1920s. He died in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on June 26, 1944 and is buried in Knoxville.
During the mid-1920s, many were championing the cause of officially purchasing the lands of the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee in order to have them established as a national park in the hopes of conserving and preserving the mountains. There were various campaigns and organizations created for this cause, one of which is the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association. Founded in 1923, this non-profit organization was based in Knoxville and greatly contributed to the formation and conservation of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository