Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN-Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01) today traveled to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee in observance of the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service.

Rep. Norcross joined Senator Lamar Alexander (TN), Rep. Phil Roe (TN-01) and local leaders for an appreciation luncheon honoring Park employees at the Park’s headquarters in Gatlinburg.

“For a century, these stewards of the environment have worked tirelessly to protect and preserve our national treasures. We can’t thank them enough for all they do every day,” said Rep. Donald Norcross.

Rep. Norcross has strong family ties to the region. His late mother, Carol, was from Gatlinburg, known as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and he still has family members who reside there. The Congressman spent many childhood summers exploring the Park, which shaped his appreciation for the national park system and efforts to protect and preserve natural and cultural resources.

“To me, this is the epitome of tranquility. And I take great satisfaction knowing this land is preserved forever, so that my children, grandchildren, and future generations of Americans will continue to enjoy the wildlife, scenery and grandeur of our national parks,” said Rep. Donald Norcross.

President Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the National Park Service on August 25, 1916, "to conserve the scenery and the national and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations."

Great Smoky Mountains National Park was dedicated September 2, 1940 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 2015, the Park registered 10.7 million recreational visits, the highest of any of the 59 U.S. national parks. The Park spans 522,427 acres in Tennessee and North Carolina, had a regional economic impact of $874 million in 2015, and supports 13,709 jobs in communities that surround the Park.

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