In 2022, Tennessee celebrated the 85th anniversary of the Division of State Parks. Considered one of the best systems in the country, Tennessee is home to 57 state parks.* The number continues to grow with the addition of Savage Gulf State Park in Grundy and Sequatchie Counties as of fall 2022. Today, the mission of Tennessee State Parks is to protect the state’s unique natural, cultural, and historic resources.

To commemorate this milestone, the Library & Archives has brought together materials from numerous collections to illustrate the impact of state parks in Tennessee.

*In 2021, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, named Tennessee State Parks as a finalist for the 2021 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.