The Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park, located in Pall Mall, pays tribute to Sgt. Alvin C. York, the backwoods marksman from the mountains of Tennessee who became one of the most decorated soldiers of World War I. York's fame rose from his legendary exploits on October 8, 1918 in the Argonne Forest in France. Leading a small patrol, York was sent out to eliminate flanking machine gun fire that was halting the advance of his regiment. York found himself alone opposing a German machine gun unit. With rifle and pistol he engaged the enemy. The fight ended with more than twenty Germans dead. Then, the other one hundred and thirty-two soldiers, including four officers and thirty-five machine guns, became discouraged and surrendered to York and six of his comrades. For that he was decorated with a dozen metals, including the Congressional Medal of Honor and the French Croix de Guerre. He has been honored by a 10-foot statue on the grounds of the State Capitol in Nashville, and his medals and trophies may be seen at the Tennessee State Museum. The historic park includes the York family farm and the grist mill he operated for many years on the banks of the Wolf River.

The farm and grist mill are located on Highway 127, about seven miles north of Jamestown. Store Hours: Closed every Sunday from Oct. 25 through March 14 (daylight savings time begins).
Beginning the day after Veteran's Day, the store will be open Thurs., Fri. and Sat. only until Christmas in the Valley. The store will be closed from Dec. 13 - March 11.
Directions: From I-40, take Route 127 North to Pall Mall, TN the Park is located on Hwy. 127, just eight miles from the Tennessee/Kentucky border.

Highway 127
Pall Mall, TN 38577
Phone: 931-347-2664
E-Mail: sypfdirector@gmail.com
Website: www.sgtyork.org


Cookeville History Museum
The Cookeville History Museum opened its new location across from City Hall in the former Respiratory Home Care, Inc. building in April 2007. We are thrilled with our new location and look forward to having you come out and enjoy our community's history exhibited in our new facility. We thank you for your interest and support of the Cookeville History Museum!

HOURS: Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
40 East Broad Street
Cookeville, TN 37501
Phone: 931-520-5455
Email: historymuseum@cookeville-tn.org
Website: Website: www.cookeville-tn.org


Cookeville Depot Museum
The Cookeville Depot Museum, which celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2009, is a great treasure located right here in Cookeville! It is located at 116 W. Broad Street and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm with free admission.

The Depot Museum preserves the Cookeville, Tennessee Central Railroad station as a historic landmark. It houses mainly railroad artifacts and memorabilia, with an emphasis on the Tennessee Central Railroad; Their mission is to promote interest and pride in local heritage, particularly as it relates to the railroad; to encourage interest in the broad spectrum of railroading, both past and present; and to welcome the public in its quest for the information and experiences that it has to offer.

116 W. Broad St.
Cookeville, TN 38501
Phone: 931-528-8570
E-Mail: depot@cookeville-tn.org
Website: www.cookeville-tn.org


Cordell Hull Birthplace and State Historic Park
Cordell Hull was Secretary of State during the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration. He is considered the Father of the United Nations, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee presented the 1945 Nobel Prize for Peace to Hull in recognition of his work in the Western Hemispheres, for his International Trade Agreements, and for his efforts in establishing the United Nations.

Cordell Hull (October 2, 1871-July 23, 1955) was born in a log cabin in present day Pickett County, Tennessee. The cabin has been restored to what is believed to be its original conformation and is open for viewing.

A museum on the grounds houses photos, documents and artifacts from Secretary Hull’s life, including the Nobel Peace Prize.

In addition to the historic section of the park, there is a scenic trail to spectacular Bunkum Cave where Cordell Hull’s father made moonshine

1300 Cordell Hull Memorial Drive
Byrdstown, TN 38549
Telephone: (931) 864-3247
E-Mail: robin.wooten@tn.gov
Website: www.friendsofcordellhull.org


Cumberland Homestead Tower
Homestead or "The Homesteads" is an area about four miles south of Crossville TN. The predominant building material is locally mined softly colored sandstone called “Crab Orchard stone”. There is a striking; consistent appearance of the buildings noticeable even to someone not looking for it, and that appearance is evident in the school and the nearby Cumberland Mountain State Park. Homestead was born in the New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt. After he was elected President in 1932, he implemented this program to help families during the Great Depression. It provided homes to 256 families of Cumberland County and created jobs for other residents who built roads, worked in the stone quarries, and who constructed the homes.

In the base of the Homestead Tower is a small museum with historical items from the Homestead community. The museum displays different types of furniture and appliances a Homestead house in the 1930's would have contained, as well as photographs and memorabilia. Walking through the Homestead Tower Museum is like taking a walk back in time 70 years.

The Homestead Tower and Museum is open from 1 April through 1 December. Hours are: Mon. – Sat. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. & Sun. from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. For safety reasons, visitors are not allowed to climb to the top of the Tower during thunderstorms.

US Hwy 127,
Crossville, TN 38572
Phone: 615-456-9663
Website: www.cumberlandhomesteads.org


Granville Agriculture & History Museum
The Granville Museum tells the story of the riverboat town of Granville. The museum contains a great pictorial display of every aspect of the history of Granville. Many historical items from local family homes, businesses, schools and the community are on display. The museum features a military, school and music room and a room with furnishings depicting a home in the early 1900's.
The newest addition, the Agricultural Museum displays farm equipment donated to the museum by Jackson County farmers.

Visitors will also enjoy a ten minute DVD on the history of Granville. The museum also has a genealogy collection with many family records as well as cemetery documents of the Granville area.
Now open year round: Wednesday thru Saturday 12:00 noon - 3:00 pm

P. O. Box 26
Granville, TN 38564
Phone: 931-653-4151
Website: www.granvillemuseum.com



Historic Granville & Sutton’s General Store
Just a stone's throw from the banks of the Cumberland River stands the Ben Sutton General Merchandise Store and Grocery. The T.B. (Ben) Sutton General Store dates back to 1870 when it was purchased by W. H. Ragland at the Chancery Court - Clerk and Master sale. On June 7, 1880, Ragland sold the store to A.S. Cooper and James Hargis for $100.00. For the next 45 years, the store was owned by the Cooper family primarily along with several other individuals at various times. In the 1890's, it went by the name of Hargis & Son General Merchandise and Country Produce. In 1901, it changed to Shepherd & Cooper. In 1906, it was Cooper & Brown, and then B.F. Cooper General Merchandise. In May, 1925, B.F. Cooper sold the store to A.H. Willoughby, trustee, Bank of Granville. On May 7, 1925, Ben Sutton bought the store from Willoughby and became the most remembered store owner of our times. Sutton operated the store for over 45 years closing it shortly before his death. John Clemons operated the store for a short period in the early 1970's before closing the store permanently. The store remained closed, becoming run down and in need of much repair and restoration.

Harold and Beverly Sutton, they fell in love with the old store, and on July 11, 2000, purchased the store and all its contents. The store was nearly in ruins and almost un-restorable.

After extensive renovation, in September, 2007, Harold and Beverly Sutton donated the store, contents, and property to the Granville Museum, Inc., in order that the store could once again be a viable part of society and operate within the community of Granville.

P. O. Box 26
Granville, TN 38564
Phone: 931-653-4151
Website: www.granvillemuseum.com


Historic Rugby
Time stands still at Rugby, Tennessee - the restored Victorian village founded in 1880 by British author and social reformer, Thomas Hughes. It was to be a cooperative, class-free, agricultural community for younger sons of English gentry and others wishing to start life anew in America. At its peak in the mid-1880s, some 300 people lived in the colony. More than 65 buildings of Victorian design graced the townscape on East Tennessee's beautiful Cumberland Plateau.

This would-be Utopia survives today as both a living community and a fascinating public historic site, unspoiled by modern development. Twenty original buildings still stand, nestled between the Big South Fork National Recreation Area and the Rugby State Natural Area, surrounded by rugged river gorges and historic trails. Historic Rugby has been open to the public since 1966 and is nationally recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and many others as one of the most authentically restored and preserved communities in America.

5517 Rugby Hwy
Rugby, TN 37733
Tel.: 423-628-2441
Toll Free: 1-888-214-3400
E-mail: info@historicrugby.org
Website: www.historicrugby.org


Military Memorial Museum
The Museum is located in the restored 2nd Cumberland County Courthouse. The Museum features displays and artifacts associated with Cumberland County's involvement in military conflicts beginning with the War Between the States. There are exhibits of general interest from all American fought wars, including the Iraq. All of the items are donations from soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors living in the Upper Cumberland.

Learn all about our heroes, see their uniforms, photos, and hear the music that will take you back to that time. Artifacts from the WW II P.O.W. camp that was here in Crossville are also on display.

Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
We are open weekdays 9:00 am till 4:00 pm (closed on snow days-when schools are closed)
We will consider other hours for group tours

20 South Main St.
Crossville, Tennessee 37555
Phone: 931-456-5520
Website: www.museum.homestead.com/Military.html

Historic Red Boiling Springs
In the 1840s Samuel Hare recognized the commercial potential and medicinal value of the area's unusual boiling springs. He fenced the springs, built cabins, and developed the area as a "watering place." Though Red Boiling Springs was a thriving community in the 1850s, the Civil War and land disputes halted development and resulted in the demolition of most of the community's original buildings. In the 1880s New York businessman James F. O. Shaughnesy purchased 200 acres, including the boiling springs, and began to develop the area as a summer resort, which became famous for its mineral springs. At its peak in the 1920s and 1930s, the resort boasted nine hotels and more than a dozen boarding houses. In addition to the mineral treatments, the resort featured horseback riding, tennis, a dammed lake that served as a swimming pool, bowling alleys, and a dance hall. Three of the historic hotels remain and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Spring houses still feature five kinds of mineral water: white, red, and black, double and twist, and free-stone. Each has a distinctly different mineral composition related to rock formations in the Highland Rim area, and each is considered a cure for different ailments.


The Armour’s Hotel
The Armour's Red Boiling Springs Hotel is a two-story native brick structure built in 1924 by attorney John Smith and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was first called Smith's Brick Hotel, being the first brick hotel structure in town. Later, and for most of its existence, it was known as the Counts Hotel. In 1991, Brenda and Bobby Thomas renamed the hotel of today. Unfortunately, throughout the years, the conditions had deteriorated slightly. The vision to preserve Red Boiling Springs' history motivated the Thomas' to purchase the hotel. Immediately beginning renovation of the building continued their efforts to help revitalize the healing tradition of the area for any year-round guest.

The Armour's is now owned by Dennis and Debra Emery. They assumed ownership August 29, 2008, from Laban and Reba Hilton who owned and operated the hotel since 1999. Dennis and Debra have embarked on a complete refurbishment and redecoration of the hotel and invite you to come and share their home and see the improvements!

The Armour's is the only facility known in the State of Tennessee that offers a mineral bathhouse, coupled with a steam bath and the availability of Certified Massage Therapists.

321 East Main Street
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150
Phone: (615) 699-2180
E-Mail: armourshotel@yahoo.com
Website: www.armourshotel.com


The Donoho Hotel in Red Boiling Springs
The first hotel on the site was built by a man named Whitley in the early part of the 1900s and was called the Whitley house. One of the Whitley's daughters later married a man called Donoho and they ran the second hotel built on the site. When Donoho died, Tennie, another of Whitley's daughters, married B. W. Chitwood and they operated the hotel, built in 1914 that stands today. The Chitwoods sold to Ed Hagan in 1955, and much restoration was done to the building. The hotel sold again in 1970 and yet again in 1974 to the Walsh family. Ms. Walsh operated the hotel until 1993 when it was sold to Jeff and Talisa Cowden and children, Micah and Zachary. The hotel is presently owned by a family from Murfreesboro, Tennessee

500 East Main Street
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150
Phone: 1-800-799-1705
E-Mail: donohohotel@bellsouth.net
Website: www.theDonohoHotel.com


The Thomas House in Red Boiling Springs
The Thomas House is a cool and mysterious hideaway resting high atop a gently rolling hillside on the outer edge of Red Boiling Springs' city limits. One of the city's oldest and most beautiful landmarks, it has been a vital part of the community since 1890.

Originally named The Cloyd Hotel, a 30 room frame building was destroyed by fire just after the turn of the century. The Cloyd's rebuilt the hotel, this time larger and more magnificent than before. The hotel now had 54 guest rooms, each with a European Water closet, a luxury that few hotels in the south had. There was at one time a bathhouse, an open-air bowling alley, a swimming pool, and a nine-hole golf course. Today the Thomas House is owned by the Cole family.

^{Cloyds Hotel – Postcard in 1940}        

Visitors back then and today, enjoy a peaceful atmosphere when they revisit the past throughout this Victorian style hotel. Home-cooked meals are bountiful and served family-style in our spacious l50-seat dining room, and are often accompanied by live entertainment. After dinner, take a reminiscent stroll through our museum settings or simply relax on one of our two inviting verandas. With ample grounds for lawn games, a swimming pool in season and parks within walking distance, Red Boiling Springs is a perfect get-away retreat.

The Thomas House is open year round and guests and tourists are always welcome.

520 E Main St
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150-2318
Phone: 615-699-3006
E-mail: thomashouse@nctc.com
Website: www.thomashousehotel.com

White County Historical Museums
Information and brochures on all museums are available at:
Sparta White County Chamber of Commerce
16 West Bockman Way
Sparta, TN 38583
Phone: 931-836-3552
E-mail: sparta-chamber@sparta-chamber.net
Website: www.sparta-chamber.net


The White County Heritage Museum
“Explore the Past and Discover the Heritage of the Highlands”.
With the rich heritage and history of White County, for many years the idea of creating a Heritage Museum lay dormant until spurred into action by the 2006 White County Bicentennial Committee.

After great public interest during the yearlong Bicentennial Celebration and the availability of the former White County Public Library building the museum’s location was determined. In September 2008, the White County Heritage Museum opened its doors under the direction of curators Bill and Peggie Hurteau.

The Heritage Museum is located in the Historic
Downtown District of beautiful Sparta, Tennessee.

144 South Main
Sparta, TN 38583
Phone: 931-837-3900
Email: info@whitecountyheritagemuseum.org
Website: www.whitecountyheritagemuseum.org

^{Revolver owned by General George Dibrell}
 

Railroad Section House Museum
Discover the rich of coal, the “Black Gold” found deep within the earth at a very unique museum, in possibly the last remaining Section House within the State of Tennessee. The history of coal mining in Tennessee has been preserved with a treasure trove of artifacts and memorabilia.

9479 Crossville Hwy
Crossville, TN
Phone: 931-935-6463

Railroad Section House Museum      
and Girl’s grave in backyard         

The Rock House Shrine- Old Stage Stop
The Rock House Shrine, a famous stage coach stop and early American frontier home is located on scenic Hwy 70E 4-miles from Sparta along the old wilderness trail and historic "Broadway of America". Built in 1835-1838 by Barlow Fisk, the Rock House served as a stopover for travelers going from frontier settlements in the West to more "civilized" areas along the Atlantic coast. Famous visitors to the Rock House include Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk, Presidents of the United States stopping on their way to Washington D.C., as well as Sam Houston and Frank Clement.

Entrusted to the Daughters of the American Revolution, (DAR), the Rock House is open Wed –Sat from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm or by appointment.

3663 Country Club Rd
Sparta, TN
Phone: 931-836-3552

Rock House Shrine Museum         
 

White County Military Museum
Located in the American Legion building off Liberty Square in downtown Sparta, the museum is honoring those who sacrificed for the freedom we cherish and hold dear.

5 Maple St.
Sparta, TN
Phone: 931-836-3595



 

American Legion Liberty Hall