The Johnson City Parks and Recreation department recently celebrated the opening of a new section on the Tweetsie Trail aimed at young readers and their families. The newly minted Tweetsie Storybook Trail, which had its ribbon-cutting ceremony this past Saturday, is a family-friendly addition to the already popular rails-to-trails conversion project.
"We are excited to add this new feature to the Tweetsie Trail," April Norris, Director of Johnson City Parks and Recreation, told the City of Johnson City website. The trail features a 400-foot stretch near the 4.2-mile marker decorated with kiosks that exhibit Leah Henderson's "The Courage of the Little Hummingbird." Children who attended the event were even gifted a copy of the book, signaling the city's commitment to literacy and community.
Significant support for the Tweetsie Storybook Trail came from Henry and Flora Joy, who were also present at the opening ceremony. "We want to thank everyone who gave us support for this project," Henry Joy expressed his gratitude in a statement, and additionally credited Mayor Woodby, the Johnson City Commission, and specifically Josh Collins, trail operations manager for Johnson City Parks and Recreation, for their unyielding support and expertise that brought the trail segment to fruition.
This initiative reflects a deep-rooted desire of the Joy family to encourage reading amongst the youth of Northeast Tennessee. "My wife is a Carter County native and the bookmobile was such an important part of her childhood," Henry Joy shared during the event. The project highlights the collaboration between the City of Johnson City, Carter County, Elizabethton, the Governor's Early Literacy Program, and the dedicated Joy family.
The Tweetsie Trail itself, from which the Storybook Trail derives, is a 9.6-mile trail that was once the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad track. Known affectionately as the "Tweetsie" about the sound of the railroad's steam whistles, it now serves as a scenic path for walking, running, and biking, and with the new addition, now reading and learning, too.
