Dunbar Cave State Natural Area to Hold Anniversary Event July 28

Celebration Will Help Commemorate Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary 

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The year 2012 marks Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary, and to help commemorate this important milestone, Dunbar Cave State Natural Area will hold a special community event on Saturday, July 28, beginning at 1 p.m. This event is open to the public.  

“This is a great opportunity to thank the park’s many patrons and the entire local community for their support throughout the years and invite community members to see what the park has to offer,” said Park Manager Allen Fenoseff.  

Come out and meet the park staff and learn more about Dunbar Cave’s unique past.  Other activities will include a birds of prey program.  Enjoy the music of Cumberland Winds at the mouth of the Cave along with board games, fellowship and home-baked goodies, compliments of the Friends of Dunbar Cave.  Events will be followed by refreshments, including hot dogs, baked beans, chips, birthday cake, and drinks.  Participants will also have an opportunity to sign up for upcoming programs.     

Also making an appearance will be Tennessee State Parks’ new traveling anniversary exhibit, which recently hit the road to tour state parks and various communities – sharing Tennessee State Parks’ rich and storied history. Enclosed in a colorful trailer emblazoned with various images and logos, the exhibit interprets the origins and heritage of Tennessee’s state park system.  

WHO:             

Interim Director of Parks Mike Robertson

Park Manager Allen Fenoseff, Dunbar Cave State Natural Area and Park

Lionel Senseney, President of The Friends of Dunbar Cave

Sally Schiller, Past President of The Friends of Dunbar Cave

Local elected officials and community members                        

WHAT:            

75th Anniversary Event at Dunbar Cave State Park and Natural Area                       

WHEN:            

Saturday, July 28

1 to 5 p.m.   

WHERE:         

Dunbar Cave Visitor Center

401 Old Dunbar Cave Road

Clarksville, Tenn. 37043 

The Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937, and those laws – with modifications and additions over the years – remain the framework for park operations today.  As in most states, Tennessee began in cooperation with federal programs that instigated individual parks. Later, Depression era recovery programs gave a boost to the idea and the possibility of creating parks. The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration worked on land conservation, but also delved further into the actual planning and construction of what would become the first of 54 Tennessee State Parks.  

Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in Tennessee.  A 2009 University of Tennessee study highlights the positive economic impacts that state parks provide local communities, particularly in rural areas of the state.  The study found that for every dollar spent on trips to Tennessee State Parks, an additional $1.11 of economic activity was generated throughout the state.  When the direct and indirect expenditures were combined, the impact of Tennessee State Parks to the state’s economy was $1.5 billion in total industry output, supporting more than 18,600 jobs. 

“Our vision statement highlights the inherent value of our natural environment, along with the value of the many physical reminders of Tennessee’s past,” added Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill.  “Tennessee’s state parks have played such an important role in our history, and they play a critical role in our health and quality of life, which will benefit Tennesseans well into the future.” 

Tennessee’s state parks deliver a rich fabric of natural landscapes, wild places, preserved ecologies, outdoor recreational opportunities and protected historic scenes and resources – together representing the heritage of Tennessee in the landscape.  

Tennessee's 54 state parks and 82 state natural areas offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families or business and professional groups.  State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses.  For a free brochure about Tennessee State Parks, call toll free at 1-888-867-2757. For upcoming events in connection with the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, please visit the state parks website at www.tnstateparks.com. 

In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation launched an innovative new microsite at www.tnstateparks75.com. Established in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the microsite displays Tennessee State Parks’ rich heritage and showcases the many outdoor adventures awaiting state park visitors through rich media and dynamic content. 

Dunbar Cave State Natural Area is located 60 minutes northwest of Nashville and about 1.5 miles northeast of downtown Clarksville in Montgomery County. Dunbar Cave offers a beautiful cave entrance located next to a 15-acre spring-fed lake, which is ideal for fishing. In the roomy mouth of the cave, square dances, radio shows and big-band era concerts were once held.  Three hiking trails also are available and range from .67 miles to 1.9 miles. For more information about this beautiful park, please visit www.tnstateparks.com.  

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