Yes, this is Dolly Parton at Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

On Sept. 2, 1940, Pres. Roosevelt dedicated the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; he was the first and only sitting president to visit the Smokies.

On Sept. 2, 2009, 75 years later, the park was rededicated with a commemorative ceremony at Newfound Gap. This was the crowning event of a year busy with celebrations.

Newfound Gap Road was closed for two days.

Superintendent Dale Ditmanson, Master of Ceremony, welcomed everyone “to your national park. It is a time to rejoice but also a time to remember all those who had to leave their home to make way for the National Park.” It was the first time that all congressional delegates that represented the Smokies were in the park at the same time.

Rep. Heath Shuler pointed out that “people come here because of the beauty of the park but stay here because of the people.” He then introduced the descendants of Horace Kephart, who settled in Bryson City and wrote many articles advocating for the park.

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said that “the Smokies were a gift of the people to the Government, not from the government to the people." Congress authorized the national Park in 1926 but it took until 1934 for North Carolina and Tennessee to raise the money to buy the land and another six years for FDR to come to the Smokies. The chair where he sat was displayed on the podium.

Dan Wenk, Acting Director of the National Park Service, recognized community groups including Carolina Mountain Club and Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. He also welcomed ten Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) members, of the 4,000 men who had worked in the park.

I talked to Don Shoulders who worked in the Smokies from 1936 to 1939 and built a trail between Tremont and Elkmont. Before he joined the CCC, he had never had a job except working on his sister’s farm for nine dollars a month. When she couldn’t afford even that, he signed up.

Clarence Allison grew up in Haywood County. His school only went to the sixth grade. He hung around home until “I inflated my age a little and joined up in 1940.” He worked on roads, in the kitchen, whatever there was to do. He went straight from the CCC to the army in 1942.

U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, representing President Obama, pointed out that the Smokies is not only the most visited park in the nation but has the largest economic impact of all the national parks, bringing in $700 million last year.

Finally, Dolly Parton.

 As 75th anniversary ambassador for the park, she wrote and released a CD which raised $200,000 for the park. The CD is only available in the park visitor centers and on Great Smoky Mountain Association website. She performed My Mountains, My Home, the lead song on her CD.

After her standing ovation, Dale Ditmanson said,”There are 391 units of the National Park System. Let them beat this!”

Dolly finished the program with Forever Home, another song from her CD. She then said thank ya'll for coming, but I don't know about ya'll but I need to V.I.Pee. She is funny.

The rangers in their spiffy summer uniforms were friendly and helpful; the buses taking us to Newfound Gap were fast and efficient; there were plenty of Port-o-Johns. And the weather was perfect.

I can’t wait for the 100th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.