Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 29, 1994 TAG: 9401290193
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PENNINGTON GAP LENGTH: Medium
But that doesn't faze the founding fathers and mothers of The New Independent State of Cumberland.
"You run into these deficits. But fortunately, we're the kind of state that can give up," said David Hartley of Pennington Gap.
Cumberland - the self-proclaimed 51st state - is an effort of nine rural counties in the mountains of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee to draw tourists and attention.
Lee, Scott and Wise counties in Southwest Virginia; Claiborne, Hancock and Hawkins counties in northeast Tennessee; and Bell, Harlan and Knox counties in southeast Kentucky banded together almost seven years ago in a unique strategy to promote the area.
Hartley, a part owner of Lee County radio station WSWV and the man who came up with the venture, said the idea blossomed.
"We decided to take a different perspective and try to have fun developing tourism," he said. "State governments in the three states knew we felt a little neglected."
So a group of business leaders and interested residents incorporated the fictitious state, complete with all the accoutrements, including:
State bird: the mockingbird.
State motto: "Mountains Are Fun."
State flower: ragweed.
State flag: orange and blue background with nine stars forming a C.
The founders referred in their first official proclamation to "Cumberland being a state of mind rather than one of law."
They elected a governor, held an inaugural ball and formed a Cabinet.
Two years ago, the state's permanent capital became Cumberland Gap, Tenn., near the natural break in the Allegheny Mountains through which thousands of early settlers passed en route to western lands.
Brochures promoting the region's natural and historical attractions began appearing on racks in tourism centers. The region offers an abundance of mountains, falls, scenic views and pioneer history.
"We heard from people in Italy who read about this," said Jackie Epperson of Middlesboro, Ky., who was the first governor. "We heard from another person in Poland. It was unreal."
The state runs on volunteers. About 300 people belong to the group, and membership costs $5. The Tennessee Valley Authority donated money for brochures, Epperson said.
The initial hoopla surrounding the creation of a state has leveled off, organizers concede.
"It's still active, but there's not much that's going on right now," Epperson said.
The state also has suffered its share of setbacks. This fall, the governor moved to Gatlinburg, Tenn.
So Epperson, the lieutenant governor who held the top post for two terms, is once again at the helm. A new governor should be elected in the spring.
"It's a fun thing, sort of a tongue-in-cheek thing," she said.
by CNB