100th Anniversary of Conservation Expo celebrated

A night view of the spectacular lights at the National Conservation Exposition at Chilhowee Park in Knoxville in 1913.

One hundred years ago this fall, Knoxville hosted an event of such magnitude that it attracted more than a million visitors during its two-month run. 

At the time, its central focus of preservation and stewardship of declining natural resources was both bold and forward thinking. It was a spectacle that would impress and inspire a significant audience including a handful of community leaders and a cadre of young men to create and champion local conservation initiatives the likes of which 
still resonate today. 

Paul James speaks about the contribution to conservation 
made by H.P. Ijams in the early 1900s.

The National Conservation Exposition, held in September and October of 1913, was widely regarded as the first and largest of its kind in the Southeast, if not the nation.

- Paul James, excerpt from the September/October issue of The Tennessee Conservationist.

One hundred years later, Knoxville celebrated the 1913 Expo's anniversary: Saturday, October 12. Numerous organizations committed to conservation, environmental education, sustainability and outdoor recreation in the region came together to honor the spirit of the original expo. Ijams had a booth as well as Paul James gave a talk about H.P. Ijams and his contribution to the movement that culminated in the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other organizations including the nature center. 

For more information go to: Knoxville Conservation Expo. 

Sharon Lawson and Sabrina DeVault at the Ijams booth.