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Keep up with our Summer Research Interns - read the "Tremonthly" summer science report.
It's Great Smoky Mountains Photo Contest time again! Read the rules here
Evaluating Tremont's Impact
Learn why your school's visit to Tremont will be "more than just a field trip."
For a quick view of a historical Tremont timeline, see our history timeline page.
1969-79
Tremont Environmental Education Center was opened in the fall of 1969 under a cooperative arrangement with the National Park Service and Maryville College. The program was mainly developed for 5th grade students and incorporated principles from the National Environmental Education Development (NEED) and Environmental Study Areas programs. Materials about these N.P.S. programs are available in the Institute and Park libraries. During the summers an extensive Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program was in place as was a backpacking program for 11-16 year olds.
Programs stressed developing awareness, incorporating activities into the total curriculum and involving teachers with leading activities while at Tremont. Lessons were developed over the years with these purposes in mind. Copies of former lesson guides are also available in the libraries. The program grew to be quite successful and well known. During the 1973-74 school year 9,026 people participated in programs at Tremont. At that time facilities could accommodate 200 people.
In 1977 a review of the program and facilities resulted in a recommendation from GSMNP Superintendent Boyd Evison to the regional director to continue operating the Center but to provide over two million dollars for replacing run-down facilities. In 1978 the Center operated on a limited basis with students staying at Camp Wesley Woods and eating and participating in programs at the center during the day.
In August of 1979 the Center closed while a works building was converted to the present dormitory with funds from N.P.S.
1979-1999
In 1979 Maryville College withdrew from operating the Institute and in May of 1980 the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association took over. The director at that time, Tom DeVaney, continued to serve in that capacity and the program remained much the same as it did under Maryville College. One change was a shift to a more permanent team of naturalists leading large group activities with little help from visiting teachers. The YCC program lost its funding in 1981 so summer use was limited to a few special user groups. In 1981, 2608 participants were served.
In the spring of 1982 the Center was closed again because of condemned bridges on the Tremont road. Over the next two years the bridges were rebuilt the dining hall was condemned and the gym was converted to a new dining hall by N.P.S.
In the summer of 1984, Ken Voorhis was hired as director to rebuild the program. The Tremont Committee indicated that the program needed to become self supporting, that the emphasis on developing awareness with the program should remain, that a cooperative teaching approach with staff and attending teachers should be reestablished, and that a complete summer program should be developed.
In 1985 the name Tremont Environmental Education Center was changed to Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. This was done to further emphasize Tremont’s tie to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as to sister “Institutes”, and that its audience was broader than just elementary school groups.
Drawing on their cumulative past experiences, past Tremont lessons, and resource materials from the Tremont library, the Tremont staff wrote lessons for new curriculum that was published as Connecting People and Nature – A Teacher’s Guide. This publication received an award of excellence from the National Park Service in 1993. Visiting teachers choose from almost twenty different lessons, three-hours in length or longer, to create a program that best meshes with their curriculum needs . The lesson are continually under review. Major revisions incorporating suggestions of staff and attending teachers were completed in 1986, 1989, 1992 and again in 2007.
In March of 1994 flooding damaged the Tremont road and was closed to the public. Fortunately one lane of the road remained passable and the Institute was able to continue operations, allowing program participants to enter and exit on the partially closed road. The road was not fully reopened until June of 1996.
1999- Now
In 1999 the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association (now Great Smoky Mountains Association - GSMA) met with the Friends of the Smokies (FOS) and National Park Service staff to discuss the future of Tremont. A team from the Association of Nature Center Administrators had reviewed Tremont’s operations in 1997 and suggested that these parties consider spinning Tremont off as a separate non-profit organization with a board that could focus exclusively on Tremont and its future. The groups decided that such a move would be best for all involved and so in January of 2001 Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont became a separate entity with support pledged from both GSMA & FOS. Download a PDF of our current strategic plan.
In 2001 a master plan was completed for a redesign of the Tremont campus and facilities. An Environmental Assessment was conducted beginning in 2006 to develop alternatives and select a preferred design concept. For more details on this project and its status please click here.
Visit the Undeveloping Tremont section of our Web site to learn more about our campus redesign plans.
In 2007, Tremont was able to: