Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park protects a natural mountain pass in the Appalachian range where the three states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee meet. A ‘gap’ means a passage running between mountain ranges, and this pass was one of the few doors through which people could cross the rugged mountains and advance westward.

On the reverse of the coin is a pioneer looking westward beyond the Cumberland Mountains. With a gun slung over his shoulder, his gaze is directed toward an unknown land he has not yet reached.

This scene recalls the era in the late 18th century when pioneers like Daniel Boone crossed this pass and headed toward the new lands of the West. Because countless people passed through this narrow path and pushed the nation’s border westward, the Cumberland Gap is called the ‘Gateway to the West.’

This historic passage was designated a national historical park on June 11, 1940, so that its significance could be long remembered. Today, people who walk along the old road retrace the footsteps of the pioneers.

This coin from the ‘America the Beautiful’ series holds the story of a time when crossing a single mountain was itself a challenge toward a new life.