Smoky Mountains Hiking Club Collection
This collection documents the activities of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club from its inception in the 1920s through the 2010s. It includes materials such as correspondence, administrative files, photographs, handbooks, and more.
Series I, Administrative Papers, 1929-2013: This series consists of administrative materials related to the club including president's files, correspondence, board minutes, and Ridgerunner reports.
Series II, Publications, 1925-2019, undated: This series consists of materials published by the club which include newsletters and hike notices.
Series III, Subject Files, 1922-2015, undated: This series consists of various material documenting the club's activities arranged by subject. Items include Wilderness Hearings, anniversary information, trail studies, and more.
Series IV, Handbooks, 1926-2019: This series consists of handbooks created by the hiking club from 1926 to 2019.
Series V, AV and Media, 1925-1997, undated: This series consists of media materials relating to the club including photographs, slides, and tape recordings.
Series VI, Songbooks, 1949, 1974, undated: This series includes songbooks and sheets owned by the club.
Series VII, Artifacts, 1922-1999, undated: This series includes artifacts and objects belonging to the club such as rubber stamps and a shirt.
Series VIII, Addendum, 1948-2019: This series includes all items added to the collection after the original processing of the collection. These items were sent to Special Collections in 2019 and include newspaper articles, hike sign ups, and more.
Dates
- 1922-2019
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite, and a minimum of 2 business days are needed to retrieve these items for use. Researchers interested in consulting any of the collections are advised to contact Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact Special Collections.
Extent
19 Linear Feet (43 boxes - 1 full box; 30 half boxes; 8 quarter boxes; 4 flat boxes)
Overview
This collection documents the activities of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club from its inception in the 1920s through the 2010s. It includes materials such as correspondence, administrative files, photographs, handbooks, and more.
Biographical / Historical
The Smoky Mountains Hiking Club began in 1924 as an informal hiking program sponsored by the YMCA boys' camp in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The link with the YMCA was severed when eligibility for membership was expanded and the club's numbers grew rapidly. Over the years, the Club has been active in establishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, performing Appalachian Trail maintenance, and promoting wilderness conservation in addition to organizing hikes and other outings in the Park.
Arrangement
This collection is in 43 boxes and is arranged into eight series based on topic and format. The majority of this collection was previously arranged by another cultural heritage institution, and that arrangement has been kept.
- Series I: Administrative Papers, 1929-2013
- Series II: Publications, 1925-2019, undated
- Series III: Subject Files, 1922-2015, undated
- Series IV: Handbooks, 1926-2019
- Series V: AV and Media, 1925-1997, undated
- Series VI: Songbooks, 1949, 1974, undated
- Series VII: Artifacts, 1922-1999, undated
- Series VIII: Addendum, 1948-2019
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository