Here is the detailed history of Cumberland Gap:
The gap was named for Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, who had many places named for him in the American colonies after the Battle of Culloden. The explorer Thomas Walker gave the name to the Cumberland River in 1750, and the name soon spread to many other features in the region, such as the Cumberland Gap. In 1769 Joseph Martin built a fort nearby at present-day Rose Hill, Virginia, on behalf of Dr. Walker's land claimants. But Martin and his men were chased out of the area by Native Americans, and Martin himself did not return until 1775.

In 1775, Daniel Boone, hired by the Transylvania Company, arrived in the region, leading a company of men to widen the path through the gap to make settlement of Kentucky and Tennessee easier. On his arrival, Boone discovered that Martin had beaten him to Powell Valley, where Martin and his men were clearing land for their own settlement – the westernmost settlement in English colonial America at the time. By the 1790s the trail that Boone and his men built was widened to accommodate wagon traffic.

It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 immigrants passed through the gap on their way into Kentucky and the Ohio Valley before 1810. Today 18,000 cars pass beneath the site daily, and 1,200,000 people visit the park on the site annually.[3]

U.S. Route 25E passed overland through the gap before the completion of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel in 1996. The original trail was then restored.

Cumberland Gap is now known for everything from its specialty shops to the National Historical Park. Located approximately an hour north of Knoxville, Cumberland Gap is a great place to spend the day, or even spend a weekend.

Within a three block area of downtown there is a variety of attractions, stores, restaurants, and inns. In addition to the natural beauty of the area, some of the local attractions include the Iron Furnace, the Bicycle Museum, the Wedding Chapel, and walking trails, too numerous to mention.

If shopping interest you, then you may enjoy Nothin's Perfect Craft Store, Whistle Stop Antiques, The Frame Shop & Art Gallery, The Cumberland Gap General Store, or even a visit the Old Drug Store for a milkshake at the turn of the century Soda Fountain. If you are in the mood for something more filling be sure to visit Webb's County Kitchen, for a meal you are not soon to forget. If all of this seems too much for one day, then stay the night. Cumberland Gap has three Inns available, including the Cumberland Gap Inn, the Olde Mill Bed and Breakfast, and Cumberland Gap Log Cabin Rentals.

For a unique getaway that will be enjoyed by all, plan a visit to the historic Town of Cumberland Gap. Experience the best of yesterday and today as you walk in the steps of your ancestors, and recall the past as well as create memories that will last well into the future.










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