Boyd Foundation gives $750,000 to Preserve Historic Structures in Smokies
Feb 18, 2026, 9:51 am

Jenny and Randy Boyd. Image courtesy of Moxley Carmichael

Continuing a longtime dedication to philanthropic giving, The Boyd Foundation has announced a $750,000 donation to the nonprofit Friends of the Smokies for the preservation of historic structures in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Boyd Foundation was launched in 2017 by Jenny and Randy Boyd along with their sons and daughter-in-law, Harrison, Thomas, and Lindsey. The Boyds’ gift carries Friends of the Smokies across the finish line of a multiyear effort to fully endow the Forever Places program in the national park.

The $9 million Forever Places endowment provides annual funding for up to six highly skilled crew members to preserve and protect some of the most iconic places in the Smokies. With specialized skills in historic masonry and woodworking, the crew authentically preserves more than 120 historic structures throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Cable Mill restoration. Image courtesy of Moxley Carmichael

“The Great Smoky Mountains have shaped who we are,” said Randy and Jenny Boyd. “Growing up, these mountains were a place of wonder, reflection, and deep connection for our family. Supporting Friends of the Smokies Forever Places is our way of ensuring that the beauty, history, and cultural significance of this extraordinary landscape are preserved for future generations. Protecting these places strengthens our community, honors our heritage, and sustains the vitality of East Tennessee for years to come.”

Cable Mill flume restoration. Image courtesy of Moxley Carmichael

“We’re tremendously grateful to The Boyd Foundation for this generous gift,” said Dana Soehn, President and CEO of Friends of the Smokies. “The job of preserving historic structures in the park never ends and it requires a perpetual source of funding. Time and nature constantly take a toll on the priceless cabins, churches, and barns that allow visitors to experience authentic history in the Smokies. It requires specialized care from an expert crew that uses traditional materials and techniques.”

The Forever Places endowment was created in 2020 with the goal of funding a permanent six-person team to rehabilitate and maintain historic structures in the Smokies. Generous donations since 2020 have allowed the national park to get started with a partial crew that has already made an immense impact.

The Forever Places crew has already completed large scale rehabilitations at the Walker Sisters Cabin, Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse, the Chapman-Byers Cabin in Elkmont, the Elijah Oliver Cabin in Cades Cove, the John Ownby Cabin near Sugarlands Visitor Center, and replaced the Cable Mill flume in Cades Cove. The crew also performs routine maintenance on the park’s 126 historic structures to prevent them from falling into the level of disrepair that requires large rehab projects.

Soehn expressed appreciation for The Boyd Foundation and everyone who has donated to Friends of the Smokies in recent years to support Forever Places.

“We are beyond grateful to the Boyd family for helping us reach a significant milestone with the Forever Places program,” Soehn said. “It means we can confidently say the park will have the funds to ensure future generations can walk in the footsteps of history at the most-visited national park in the country.”