Greetings from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

I was born on land that is now part of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. In a little log house. The house was owned by the Gibson family. J. N. Gibson and my father, Tip Yeary, used to make moonshine whiskey under a rock cliff that had a cold-water creek running alongside it. I played in the creek, trying to catch crawdads, while my mother, Mary Ellen, sat on a boulder beside the still. The Eastern park line was directly behind the house I lived in when I was a teen. I dug ginseng and trapped foxes to earn spending money. I’m the original Stone Mountain Wild Man. It’s good to see HOME again on this computer. You know, they’ve never made anything more valuable to me. With just a few clicks of buttons I can find out anything in this world I want to know. And I want to know a lot. (Can’t type well. Miss the keys, but I get there) Thank’s Charles Yeary cyeary70@yahoo.com

Sincerely,
Charles Yeary

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

This park sits at a natural opening in the Cumberland Mountains that served as one of the earliest gateways to the West for thousands of settlers traveling across the frontier. During the Civil War, Union and Confederate soldiers vied for strategic control of gap, and several forts still exist in the park. Visitors can explore the Hensley Settlement from the early 1900s, a historic community with original, hand-hewn chestnut and oak cabins. Hikers can enjoy underground tours of the park’s impressive caves, as well as more than 85 miles of trails, including routes that lead to unique rock formations and dramatic waterfalls. The four-mile drive to Pinnacle Overlook also offers wonderful views of three states.

State(s): Kentucky Tennessee, Virginia,

Established: 1940

“I believe we need a place to meet with God where we're not about to get run over by an automobile. God painted better pictures than Rembrandt. He did it in 3-D too! Hard to beat. Sunrise in the Cumberland Mountains of Virginia is one of the most peaceful sights I'll ever see. I'm really glad they made it into a park. Open-pit coal mines have ruined the appearance of so many of those mountains I could cry. The love of money destroys so much. just KEEP ON TRUCKING. Charles Yeary cyeary70@yahoo.com”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now