To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016, the Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and the Friends of Moccasin Bend partnered with local designer Aggie Toppins of The Official Studio to produce a series of images that capture the experience of visiting the different parts of the national park located in and around the greater Chattanooga area.
“Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park preserves and interprets nationally significant resources associated with the Civil War Campaign for Chattanooga and 12,000 years of American Indian presence on Moccasin Bend,” states Park Superintendent Brad Bennett.
“With 100 miles of trails, this National Park also provides opportunities for residents to experience the physical and mental health benefits of enjoying scenic views and natural beauty.” The Park is prominently displayed on the Chattanooga and Hamilton county seals and draws over 1 million annual visitors, generating a substantial economic impact for the region.
The hope of this effort is that the series of images enhance the public understanding of the Park by presenting a cohesive, visual identity for the noncontiguous Park units. The images convey the idea that each part of the National Park – Chickamauga Battlefield, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Moccasin Bend, Orchard Knob and Signal Point – are all pieces of the greater whole. “My goal was to capture scenes in the life of these Park units,” said designer Aggie Toppins, “Rather than presenting familiar depictions, we wanted to give our community a glimpse at what it might be like to visit these special places. Moccasin Bend is known for deer sightings, for example, and the sunset at Orchard Knob is not to be missed.”
This project serves as catalyst for Friends groups to partner to be exceptional stewards of our national parks for the next century. “As a community, we are privileged to have a National Park in our backyard, to protect and to enhance,” says Michael Wurzel, Executive Director of the Friends of Moccasin Bend.