Cumberland Gap National Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cumberland Gap National Historical Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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Fog forming over the gap.
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 Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Location in Virginia
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, United States |
| Nearest city | Middlesboro, Kentucky |
| Area | 20,508 acres (82.99 km2) |
| Established | June 11, 1940 |
| Visitors | 853,998 (in 2012) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Cumberland Gap National Historical Park |
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a special place in the United States. It was created on June 11, 1940. This park is located right where the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia meet.
The park protects a huge natural opening in the Appalachian Mountains called the Cumberland Gap. This gap was like a natural highway through the mountains for many years.
The park covers parts of Bell and Harlan counties in Kentucky, Claiborne County in Tennessee, and Lee County in Virginia. You can even visit the spot where all three states meet! The park is about 20,508 acres big. In 2012, almost 854,000 people visited this amazing historical park.
The Cumberland Gap Visitor Center is a great place to start your visit. It's located near Middlesboro, Kentucky. Inside, you'll find a museum with fun exhibits. These exhibits show how important the Gap was for travel. There's also an auditorium where you can watch films about the area's history and nature. You can also find a book store and a gift shop with crafts made in the Appalachian region. The visitor center is open every day except Christmas Day.
History of the Cumberland Gap
For a very long time, the Cumberland Gap was used by Native Americans. Many animals, like deer and buffalo, traveled through it each year. This made it a great hunting spot. It was also the easiest way to cross the mountains.
Around 1775, the Gap became super important for American settlers. These settlers were moving west into Kentucky to find new homes. Between 1775 and 1810, as many as 300,000 settlers might have used this route! Imagine how many people traveled through this one spot.
Later, in the early 1900s, two families named Hensley and Gibbons moved to Brush Mountain. They wanted to live a simpler life away from the big changes happening. More family members joined them, and a small community grew. They even built a church and a school. These families lived a pioneer lifestyle for many years. However, as time passed, younger generations started working off the mountain and marrying people from other areas. The last person to leave the settlement was Sherman Hensley in 1951.
Exploring Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
The park does a great job of keeping the area beautiful and protecting its history. One special place in the park is the Hensley Settlement. This is an old mountain community from the early 1900s. The park service has kept it just as it was. It shows what life was like for early settlers on top of Brush Mountain.
You can take tours through the old Hensley Settlement. You can also go on trips into Gap Cave, which is also known as Cudjo's Cave. This cave was once used by traveling Native Americans and settlers for shelter. The park also has "living history" events. Here, people dress up and show you what life was like in the past. You can also enjoy campfire programs and watch demonstrations of how settlers lived. Sometimes, the park even hosts Appalachian music festivals and concerts. These events give you another look into the culture of this area.
A cool project happened in the park in 1996. The old road, U.S. Highway 25E, used to go right through the park. But now, it has been changed back into an old wagon path from the 1800s. This was possible because the Cumberland Gap Tunnel was built. The tunnel now carries US 25E underground, beneath the park. This helps keep the park natural and peaceful.
Images for kids
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Winter view from beneath the White Rocks cliffs, in the far eastern portion of the park
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Vice President Richard Nixon at the Pinnacle Interpretive Shelter, attending the dedication of the park's Visitor Center (Mission 66 project), July 1959.
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National Park Service map of horse trails within the park
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The exterior of the visitor center in 2008
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