Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park is a state park
in Pall Mall
, in the U.S. state of Tennessee
. Situated along the Wolf River
, the park contains the farm and gristmill
once owned by decorated World War I
soldier Alvin C. York (1887–1964), who lived in the Pall Mall area for most of his life. Along with the millhouse and milldam, the park includes York's two-story house, York's general store and post office, the Wolf River Cemetery (where York and his family are buried), the Wolf River Methodist Church, the York Bible Institute, an M247 Sergeant York
tank, and various picnic facilities.
Alvin York is one of the most celebrated soldiers in American history. He joined the pacifist Church of Christ in Christian Union in 1914, and when drafted for service in World War I in 1917, he applied for conscientious objector
status, but was denied. On October 8, 1918, while on patrol along the Meuse-Argonne Front
in France, York and his platoon wandered behind enemy lines and were caught in an ambush that left over half the platoon dead. York then led the handful of survivors in a counterattack that resulted in the capture of 132 German soldiers.
York was awarded the Medal of Honor
and became an instant celebrity, and upon his return to the United States he was barraged with offers for endorsements (both commercial and political), movies, and books, most of which he initially rejected, believing it was wrong to profit from an act of war. The Nashville Rotary Club raised the funds to buy York his Pall Mall farm, which it presented to York in 1922. After York's death, his widow sold the farm to the state of Tennessee.
The community of Pall Mall is situated in a rugged valley carved by the Wolf River, which rises at the base of the Cumberland Plateau
a few miles to the east and flows westward through the community. The York farm is located in a relatively broad stretch of the valley along a bend in the river just downstream from the river's confluence with Rotten Fork. U.S. Route 127
(York Highway) is the only major road in the area, connecting Pall Mall to Jamestown
about 10 miles (16.1 km) to the south and Byrdstown
about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the northwest.
The York house, mill, and post office are located along US-127. The Wolf River Cemetery, Wolf River Methodist Church, and the York Bible Institute are located along Wolf River Loop, a paved road that intersects US-127 about a half-mile south of the York house. The two sections are connected by a 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) hiking trail.
Conrad "Old Coonrod" Pile (1766–1849), a great-great-grandfather of York, arrived in the upper Wolf River area around 1800 and gradually accumulated over a thousand acres (4 km²) in the valley, including what is now Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park. In the 1820s, John Clemens (1798–1847), the father of author Mark Twain
, moved to the area, and was elected county court clerk with Pile's help, although Clemens departed for Missouri
about three months before his famous son was born (a cabin believed to have belonged to Clemens, once located in nearby Possum Trot, is now on display at the Museum of Appalachia
in Norris, Tennessee
). York's maternal grandfather, a Union Army veteran named William Brooks, arrived in Pall Mall at the end of the U.S. Civil War and married Conrad Pile's granddaughter, Nancy. Not long after their daughter Mary was born, however, Brooks was executed by a mob in Jamestown after murdering a Pile family rival named Preston Huff.
By the early 1900s, what is now the York farm had come into the hands of the Wright family. In June 1919, after his triumphant homecoming, York married Gracie Williams in a massive ceremony conducted at Pall Mall by Tennessee Governor A.H. Roberts
. The Rotary Club of Nashville offered to raise the money to buy the newlyweds a new home, one of the few early gift offers York accepted, although he insisted the home be in Pall Mall. In November 1919, the Rotary Club purchased the 400 acres (161.9 ha) Wright farm— which contained some of the most prized farmland in the Wolf River valley— by writing several promissory notes. The club also funded the construction of a new two-story house at the point where the main road in the community crossed the Wolf River. The Yorks moved into the house on Valentine's Day, 1922, and the Rotary Club paid off the promissory notes and transferred the land to York on May 18 of that year.
In 1925, York opened a general store across the street from his house, and in 1943 he purchased the two-story gristmill along banks of the Wolf immediately downstream from his farm. After his death, his wife, Gracie, sold the York Mill to the state of Tennessee for $10,000. The mill was transferred to the Tennessee Department of Conservation in October 1967 and initially placed under the control of Pickett State Park
. Gracie York subsequently sold most of the York farm to the state for $180,000 (she rejected much higher offers from commercial interests), although she retained the rights to the house and a small plot of land until her death in 1984. The York farm and mill were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
(as the Sergeant York Historic Area) in 1973. The York farm was designated a National Historic Landmark
on May 11, 1976.
An M247 "Sergeant York," a type of self-propelled anti-aircraft tank developed for the U.S. Army in the 1970s, is on display near the York house. A swing bridge
built by AmeriCorps*NCCC
in 2000 crosses the Wolf River along the park's walking trail, connecting the US-127 and Wolf River Loop sections of the park. The park has set up a small "moonshine
still" (currently consisting of two copper barrels) near the York Mill.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Pall Mall
Pall Mall, Tennessee
Pall Mall is a small unincorporated community in the Wolf River valley of Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. Pall Mall is located near the Kentucky-Tennessee state-line in northeastern-central Tennessee. The population was at 1,398 people according to the 2000 census.The World War I hero...
, in the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Situated along the Wolf River
Wolf River (Middle Tennessee)
The Wolf River is a river in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Kentucky that rises at the base of the Cumberland Plateau in Fentress County, Tennessee and flows westward for several miles before emptying into the Obey River at the Dale Hollow Reservoir. The river is part of the Cumberland River...
, the park contains the farm and gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
once owned by decorated World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
soldier Alvin C. York (1887–1964), who lived in the Pall Mall area for most of his life. Along with the millhouse and milldam, the park includes York's two-story house, York's general store and post office, the Wolf River Cemetery (where York and his family are buried), the Wolf River Methodist Church, the York Bible Institute, an M247 Sergeant York
M247 Sergeant York
The M247 Sergeant York DIVAD was a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon , developed by Ford Aerospace in the late 1970s. Based on the M48 Patton tank, it replaced the Patton's turret with a new one that featured twin radar-directed 40 mm rapid-fire guns...
tank, and various picnic facilities.
Alvin York is one of the most celebrated soldiers in American history. He joined the pacifist Church of Christ in Christian Union in 1914, and when drafted for service in World War I in 1917, he applied for conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
status, but was denied. On October 8, 1918, while on patrol along the Meuse-Argonne Front
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
in France, York and his platoon wandered behind enemy lines and were caught in an ambush that left over half the platoon dead. York then led the handful of survivors in a counterattack that resulted in the capture of 132 German soldiers.
York was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
and became an instant celebrity, and upon his return to the United States he was barraged with offers for endorsements (both commercial and political), movies, and books, most of which he initially rejected, believing it was wrong to profit from an act of war. The Nashville Rotary Club raised the funds to buy York his Pall Mall farm, which it presented to York in 1922. After York's death, his widow sold the farm to the state of Tennessee.
Location
Cumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
a few miles to the east and flows westward through the community. The York farm is located in a relatively broad stretch of the valley along a bend in the river just downstream from the river's confluence with Rotten Fork. U.S. Route 127
U.S. Route 127
U.S. Route 127 is a long north–south United States highway in the eastern half of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 27 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The northern terminus is at Interstate 75 near Grayling, Michigan...
(York Highway) is the only major road in the area, connecting Pall Mall to Jamestown
Jamestown, Tennessee
Jamestown is a city in Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Fentress County. The city population was 1,839 at the 2000 census. The 2008 estimated population is about 2,300.-History:...
about 10 miles (16.1 km) to the south and Byrdstown
Byrdstown, Tennessee
Byrdstown is a town in Pickett County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 903 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pickett County.-Geography:...
about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the northwest.
The York house, mill, and post office are located along US-127. The Wolf River Cemetery, Wolf River Methodist Church, and the York Bible Institute are located along Wolf River Loop, a paved road that intersects US-127 about a half-mile south of the York house. The two sections are connected by a 0.6 mile (0.965604 km) hiking trail.
History
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, moved to the area, and was elected county court clerk with Pile's help, although Clemens departed for Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
about three months before his famous son was born (a cabin believed to have belonged to Clemens, once located in nearby Possum Trot, is now on display at the Museum of Appalachia
Museum of Appalachia
The Museum of Appalachia, located in Norris, Tennessee, north of Knoxville, is a living history museum that interprets the pioneer and early 20th-century period of the Southern Appalachian region of the United States...
in Norris, Tennessee
Norris, Tennessee
Norris is a city in Anderson County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 1,446 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
). York's maternal grandfather, a Union Army veteran named William Brooks, arrived in Pall Mall at the end of the U.S. Civil War and married Conrad Pile's granddaughter, Nancy. Not long after their daughter Mary was born, however, Brooks was executed by a mob in Jamestown after murdering a Pile family rival named Preston Huff.
Albert H. Roberts
Albert Houston Roberts was Governor of Tennessee from 1919 to 1921.-Biography:A native of the Alpine community in Overton County, Tennessee, Roberts was a graduate of Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee. He taught school at the Alpine Institute in the 1890s and later served as county...
. The Rotary Club of Nashville offered to raise the money to buy the newlyweds a new home, one of the few early gift offers York accepted, although he insisted the home be in Pall Mall. In November 1919, the Rotary Club purchased the 400 acres (161.9 ha) Wright farm— which contained some of the most prized farmland in the Wolf River valley— by writing several promissory notes. The club also funded the construction of a new two-story house at the point where the main road in the community crossed the Wolf River. The Yorks moved into the house on Valentine's Day, 1922, and the Rotary Club paid off the promissory notes and transferred the land to York on May 18 of that year.
In 1925, York opened a general store across the street from his house, and in 1943 he purchased the two-story gristmill along banks of the Wolf immediately downstream from his farm. After his death, his wife, Gracie, sold the York Mill to the state of Tennessee for $10,000. The mill was transferred to the Tennessee Department of Conservation in October 1967 and initially placed under the control of Pickett State Park
Pickett State Park
Pickett State Park is a Tennessee state park in the upper Cumberland Mountains. It is located in Pickett County, northeast of the city of Jamestown, and is adjacent to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The park is located on of wilderness including caves, natural bridges, and...
. Gracie York subsequently sold most of the York farm to the state for $180,000 (she rejected much higher offers from commercial interests), although she retained the rights to the house and a small plot of land until her death in 1984. The York farm and mill were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(as the Sergeant York Historic Area) in 1973. The York farm was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on May 11, 1976.
Historical structures and other attractions
- The York house, a 2.5-story Colonial RevivalColonial Revival architectureThe Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
-style house built in 1922. The house is 40 feet (12.2 m) by 31 feet (9.4 m) with corbeled chimneys at each end. The front porch is graced by a square-columned facade. The first floor, now a museum, originally contained a living room, sunroom, dining room, library, and kitchen. There were five bedrooms on the second floor. Notable outbuildings include a barn with two cylindrical stone siloSiloA silo is a structure for storing bulk materials.Silo may also refer to:* Silo , a 3D modeling software* Silo , a defunct chain of retail electronics stores* SILO , used in Linux...
s.
- The York Mill, located at a bend in the Wolf River just downstream (and across the street) from the York house. Built around 1880, the mill consists of a two-story frame millhouse mounted atop pillars of stacked rocks. A milldam diverted water through a millrace, where it turned the mill's large turbine (when it was operational, the turbine was almost completely submerged). After the state purchased the mill in 1967, a new roof and a new coat of paint were added. The mill is no longer operational.
- The Wolf River Post Office, established as a general store by York in 1925 and used as a post office until the 1970s. The store included a small lean-to gristmill along its north wall.
- The Wolf River Methodist Church, located northeast of the York house (on the opposite bank of the river) along Wolf River Loop. The Wolf River Methodist congregation was established in 1840.
- Wolf River Cemetery, located along Wolf River Loop across the street from Wolf River United Methodist Church. Originally called the Mt. Pleasant Burying Ground, the cemetery was established in the early 19th century. Its earliest known burial dates to 1826. Conrad Pile and most of his descendants, including York and his family, are buried here.
- The York Bible Institute (not to be confused with Alvin C. York InstituteAlvin C. York InstituteAlvin C. York Institute, also known as Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute or York Institute, is a public high school in Jamestown, Tennessee, founded as a private agricultural school in 1926 by World War I hero Alvin York and later transferred to the state of Tennessee in 1937, which continues to...
), built by York in the 1940s using profits from the 1941 film Sergeant York. The institute functioned only briefly before closing.
An M247 "Sergeant York," a type of self-propelled anti-aircraft tank developed for the U.S. Army in the 1970s, is on display near the York house. A swing bridge
Simple suspension bridge
A simple suspension bridge is an early type of bridge that is supported entirely from anchors at either end, and has no towers or piers. However, it may have saddles...
built by AmeriCorps*NCCC
National Civilian Community Corps
National Civilian Community Corps , or AmeriCorps NCCC is an AmeriCorps program that engages 18– to 24-year-olds in team-based national and community service in the United States. National Civilian Community Corps teams complete about four different six- to eight-week-long projects during their...
in 2000 crosses the Wolf River along the park's walking trail, connecting the US-127 and Wolf River Loop sections of the park. The park has set up a small "moonshine
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
still" (currently consisting of two copper barrels) near the York Mill.
External links
- Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic Park - official site
- The Sergeant York Project