[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 102 (Friday, June 11, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING BAYS MOUNTAIN PARK & PLANETARIUM ON THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN 
                                  2021

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                         HON. DIANA HARSHBARGER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 11, 2021

  Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Bays Mountain 
Park & Planetarium located in the City of Kingsport, in our First 
Congressional District in Tennessee, that is celebrating their golden 
anniversary of 50 years. Since 1971, Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium 
has been a continuing resource to the citizens of Kingsport.
  Since the region's humble beginnings in the late 1700s, Bays Mountain 
provided for the families who settled there with land to farm and wood 
to build houses, a church, and a school. From the early 1800s to the 
early 1900s, Bays Mountain was the source of life for settlers and 
citizens. In 1914, one of Kingsport's founders, J. Fred Johnson, began 
buying up land on the mountain in order to create a lake. The next 
year, work began on a dam with much of that work being done by family 
members of those living on and around the mountain. The lake created by 
the dam served the city until 1944 when the city outgrew the capacity. 
Over the next two decades, the Mountain segued into a source of 
sustenance for its citizens to a resource to be recognized for its 
history and contribution to the livelihood of Kingsport. It was this 
transition that in 1965 led to the appointment of a committee to study 
ways to develop the mountain into a park by then Kingsport Mayor, Hugh 
Rule. After completion of the study, the City of Kingsport hired the 
National Audubon Society to help in the design of a park. The National 
Audubon Society's recommendations were to designate the area as a 
nature preserve to also allow hiking, naturalist-led activities, 
natural history studies, research, and leisure activities such as 
photography, painting wildlife observation and school day-use. They 
also recommended building a maintenance shed, a residence for a 
caretaker and an interpretive nature center. In short, the park was to 
be of great service to the public, including schools, while also 
serving to preserve the natural habitat it featured.
  Development of these plans began in 1968 and, with assistance from 
Tennessee Eastman Company, as well as a bond referendum voted on by the 
citizens, the work culminated on May 24, 1971, with the opening of what 
our citizens know today as Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium.
  Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium is the largest city owned park in 
the State of Tennessee with its 3,650-acre nature preserve, 40 miles of 
recreational trails, an adventure ropes course, and the original 44-
acre lake.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating Bays 
Mountain Park & Planetarium as a jewel and part of the rich history of 
Tennessee's First Congressional District.

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