The president of the Tennessee Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta (The Honor Society of Agriculture), Fred Allen, proposed the project to the UT Chapter in 2008 "as a long term service project to enhance the educational opportunities and aesthetic beauty of the site". Project directors enlisted the help of the Eastern Cherokee tribe and Tribal Historic Preservation.
Fred Allen, the president of the Tennessee Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta (The Honor Society of Agriculture), introduced the project to the UT Chapter in 2008 "to enhance educational opportunities and beautify the site". The project coordinators sought help from the Eastern Cherokee tribe and Tribal Historic Preservation.