Gary Everhardt
Gary Everhardt | |
|---|---|
| 9th Director of the National Park Service | |
| In office January 13, 1975 – May 27, 1977 | |
| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Ronald H. Walker |
| Succeeded by | William J. Whalen III |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 8, 1934 Lenoir, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | December 27, 2020 (aged 86) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Spouse | Nancy Everhardt |
| Children | Karen Everhardt Phil Everhardt |
| Occupation | Naturalist, Director of the National Park Service |
Gary E. Everhardt (July 8, 1934 – December 27, 2020), was the ninth Director of the US National Park Service (NPS). He began his NPS career as an engineer in 1957 and rose to the superintendency of Grand Teton National Park in 1972. Favorable notice there propelled him to the directorship in January 1975. As director he oversaw a great increase in park development and interpretive programming for the Bicentennial of the American Revolution. The return of an NPS careerist to the job was much applauded by park employees and supporters, but Everhardt's leadership fell short of expectations, and the new Carter administration returned him to the field as Blue Ridge Parkway's superintendent in May 1977.