Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 39

LEFT TO RIGHT THIS PAGE: Gov. Austin
Peay signed the legislation authorizing
the purchase of Little River Company
land. Left to right: Jeff Hunt, acting
secretary to the governor; Speaker of the
Senate Judge L. D. Hill; Representative
Anne Davis; Gov. Peay; Mary Virginia Cox
of the governor's office; Representative
W. B. Hatcher; and Speaker of the House
W. F. Barry, Jr.
Telegram from Willis P. Davis to his wife,
Anne, congratulating her on the passage
of the legislation she introduced.
Anne Davis
x
For the Park and for the People. 1925
Anne May was born in Louisville,
Kentucky, in 1875 and married Willis Davis
in 1902. In 1915 the couple and their two
daughters moved to Knoxville, where he
managed Knoxville Iron Co., she promoted
conservation and environmental issues
and both came to appreciate the Smoky
Mountains, to the extent that Anne Davis
began to wonder out loud why there were
many national parks in the west, but only
Maine's Arcadia in the eastern U.S.
This appreciation of Anne Davis' work
toward establishment of Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is a chapter
from Michael Aday's " Letters from the
Smokies, " published in 2023 by the Great
Smoky Mountains Association. Our
appreciation to GSMA for permission to
reprint it here.
BY MICHAEL ADAY WITH DENISE ADAY
T
he story of Anne Davis' role in helping to establish Great
Smoky Mountains National Park appears simple on the
surface, but the reality is more complex. Her handwritten
note describes its beginning: " It was in July 1923, and we
were returning from a western business trip and had just visited Yellowstone
National Park. I remarked that I thought the Great Smokies
were as beautiful as any mountains we had seen in the west and I
thought that with so many parks in the west there should be one in
the east. "
Her husband Willis agreed, and on returning to Knoxville, Tennessee,
began to garner support from both the local business community
and his contacts in Washington.
Anne and Willis Davis were natives of Louisville, Kentucky, who
moved to Knoxville in 1915 when Willis took over management of
the Knoxville Iron Company. Willis was an influential local businessman
and civic leader, belonging to the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
and the Knoxville Automobile Club, and was well-connected
in Washington. Anne was equally civic-minded, being an early member
of the Knoxville League of Women Voters and the Knoxville
Garden Club. They were a power team and, together, advanced the
park's cause at the local, state and national levels.
In 1924, Davis announced her intention to run for the state legislature
in order to support the effort to establish a national park in
Southern Appalachia. In 1925, she was elected to office, defeating
MARCH/APRIL 2024 39

Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024

Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 3
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 4
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 5
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 6
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 7
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 8
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 9
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 10
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 11
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 12
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 13
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 14
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 15
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 16
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 17
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 18
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 19
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 20
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 21
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 22
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 23
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 24
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 25
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 26
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 27
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 28
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 29
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 30
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 31
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 32
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 33
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 34
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 35
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 36
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 37
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 38
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 39
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 40
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 41
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 42
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 43
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 44
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 45
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 46
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 47
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 48
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 49
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 50
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 51
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 52
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 53
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 54
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 55
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 56
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 57
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 58
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 59
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 60
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 61
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 62
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 63
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 64
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 65
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 66
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 67
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 68
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 69
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 70
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 71
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 72
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 73
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - 74
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country March/April 2024 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/brc-jf-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-nov-dec-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brcja21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com