Park Dedication visitor instructions

This memorandum provides instructions to deal with visitors during the dedication of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The dedication took place on Labor Day, September 2, 1940. A crowd of 10,000 came to Newfound Gap to hear President Franklin D. Roosevelt speak. Five hundred members of the Civilian Conservation Corps were on hand to direct and manage the crowd. A podium was set up on the North Carolina and Tennessee state lines, so that speakers stood with one foot in each state. The event was presided over by the Secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes.UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Great Smoky Mountains National Park .1. R. Eakin, Superintendent INSTRUCTIONS TO VISITORS TO THE PARK DEDICATION SEPTEMBERS, 1%0 Parking facilities near the site of the dedication are very limited and it is essential that detailed plans for the handling of visitors and parking of automobiles be followed. Your are urged, therefore, to cooperate to the fullest extent in helping us to help you enjoy the dedication. Please read,the following traffic instructions and be guided by them.' Failure to do _so may result in o;::cessive delay after the ceremony. SPEAKERS STAND GUESTS Persons having seat tickets for the speakers stand will proceed to Newfound Gap and park as directed. CHAIR SECTION GUESTS (with tickets for reserved seats) ENTERING: Curs will proceed toward Newfound Gap and space will be reserved for the cars to be parked on. the right side of the road before they get to the ■ Gap. Passengers and drivers must walk from the cars to the site of the ceremony. LEAVING (after the ceremony); All guests with tickets for reserved seats are requested to return to their cars immediately after the departure of the Presidential party and follow the instructions of the traffic officers in departing. All guests' cars must leave by the same route used on entering. VISITORS (without tickets for reserved seats) ENTERING: All cars will proceed to Newfound Gap, where tho passengers will' be discharged. The drivers will then drive the cars out the Clingmans Dome road where the cars will be turned around and parked on either side of the road, headed back. Busses will carry the drivers from the parking spaces to the site of the ceremony. At tho time each driver parks his car, he will be given a numbered ticket and stub. THE DRIVER MUST TAKE THIS WITH HIM WHEN HE RETURNS TO HIS PARTY A'i" 'MICE TIME HE WILL GIVE THE TICKET TO THE P,HTY AND RETAIN THE-STUB. .READ-THE INSTRUCTIONS ONtTHE STUB AND FOLLOW THEM. Otherwise you and others may be con-1;, siderably detained after tho ceremonies are over. LEAVING (after the ceremony): All visitors, and especially drivers, will .-.' please pay close attention to announcements made over the public address system. Drivers with cars parked over 3/4 mile from the Gap will be returned to their cars by bus, those having the lowor numbers being carried first. Number groups being carried at any time will bo announced. Drivers must take the bus going to their proper number group. When drivers arrive at Newfound Gap in'their cars, their number will bo announced and -the passengers will please get to their cars immediately and depart as soon as possible. £2 ME. LEAVE YOUR PLACES UNTIL AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GIVE YOUR WHOLEHEARTED " COOPERATION SO THAT. EVERYONE. MAY ENJOY THE DEDICATIO