The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has some of the highest, oldest, and most picturesque mountains and ridges in the eastern United States. One of the most biologically diverse regions in North America--with thousands of species of plant and animal life--the park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations in 1976 and a World Heritage Site in 1983.

In this collection of vintage-photograph postcards, Steve Cotham explores the park's past.