▁ ▁Town send ▁had ▁promised ▁Will ▁Walker ▁that ▁Th under head ▁Pr ong ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁cut , ▁a ▁promise ▁he ▁kept ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁ ▁With ▁Town send ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁way , ▁however , ▁the ▁Little ▁River ▁L umber ▁Company ▁proceeded ▁to ▁har vest ▁Th under head ▁Pr ong . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁the ▁last ▁trees ▁were ▁cut ▁in ▁the ▁T rem ont ▁area . ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Park ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁logging ▁operations ▁provided ▁an ▁economic ▁boost ▁to ▁the ▁north western ▁Sm ok ies , ▁the ▁rapid ▁def or est ation ▁of ▁Little ▁River ' s ▁waters hed ▁proved ▁dev ast ating ▁for ▁the ▁river ' s ▁e cos ystem . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Sm ok y ▁Mountains ▁National ▁Park ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁and ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁logging ▁operations ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁however , ▁the ▁forest ▁quickly ▁reg rew . ▁ ▁The ▁Civil ian ▁Conserv ation ▁Corps ▁converted ▁Little ▁River ▁Rail road ' s ▁rail road ▁b eds ▁into ▁roads ▁and ▁tra ils . ▁ ▁Today , ▁other ▁than ▁the ▁occas ional ▁st ray ▁sk id der ▁cable ▁or ▁rail road ▁tie , ▁there ▁is ▁little ▁immediate ▁evidence ▁that ▁logging ▁ever ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁Mary ville ▁College , ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Park ▁Service , ▁established ▁the ▁T rem ont ▁Environment al ▁Education