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Ken Burns PBS Series

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A 12-hour documentary entitled "The National Parks - America's Best Idea" by Producer Ken Burns, (who produced other programs including "The Civil War", "Baseball" and "Jazz" ) aired on September 27 on PBS stations across the country.
 
The series highlighted the movement to create a national park system, the natural and cultural resources they protect, and especially the people, coming from amazingly diverse backgrounds, who helped to create the parks within the NPS. The people and the creation stories are as varied as the parks themselves.
 
The episodes ran for two hours each evening for six consecutive nights from Sept 27 through Friday October 2.  The Smokies has a significant role in the saga. 
 
Folks who get East TN Public TV also got to see a feature length special produced by ETN Public TV with cooperation from the Park: "East Tennessee Stories: The Land, its People, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park". That special localized the story told in a broader way by Mr. Burns.
 
Americas Best Idea Related Products
 
CD containing 20 songs from the hit PBS series, performed by Bobby Horton, Dana Robinson, Peter Ostroushko, Al Petterway, Molly Mason, and others. Includes a special CD-ROM music video for your computer. You'll love listening to this and recalling the parks as you commute.

DVDs of the PBS Series

Coffee Table Book to accompany the PBS series

Books by Horace Kephart

Documentary Film and Story About George Masa

The ultimate photo book of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
If you love the Smokies, you need this book on your coffee table. It's the ultimate photo tribute to the Park. It's all here: landscapes, flora, fauna, four seasons of glorious nature. Photos by Richard Mack with a forward by GSMA's own Steve Kemp. Hardback, 11.5" tall x 13.25" wide, 220 pages.