The historic ferry site with roots in the Civil War along the Holston River will soon open as a county park, offering better access to this river for boaters and kayakers.
That announcement came at the annual celebration lunch for the Legacy Parks Foundation.
The non-profit is devoted to conserving and creating more places to play on rivers and trails across east Tennessee.
The event drew close to 1,000 guests at Seven Islands State Birding Park.
The event's speaker, Alexandra Cousteau, stressed the importance of carrying on a legacy of conservation, forged by her grandfather, renowned ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.
People perceive their rivers as too polluted or too industrial or they're simply forgotten," said Cousteau. "And so it's always wonderful to see the work done by organizations like the Legacy Parks Foundation to keep these places alive for us and for our children."
Cousteau is a filmmaker and author devoted to educating people about the health of the world's oceans.