cordell hull birthplace and museum state park

After visiting the Sergeant Alvin C. York Historic Area in Pall Mall, Tennesee, I drove another 19 miles up the road to the Cordell Hull Historic Birthplace at Byrdstown, Tennessee, near the Kentucky border. Cordell Hull, 1871-1955, probably did more to influence the course of U.S. history than any other Tennesseeans except Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk (both of them natives of the Carolinas who moved to Tennessee). He was our longest-serving Secretary of State and a driving force in the founding of the United Nations. Today, the Cordell Hull Historic Birthplace and Museum features a museum devoted to Hull's life and career, the simple log cabin in which he was born, and a hiking trail leading to a cave where his resourceful frontier father made moonshine.Hull was a man of a particular American type--like Lincoln, born in humble circumstances, but possessed of outstanding talents and motivated to make something of himself, with those talents and ambition eventually propelling him to national stature. The future statesman was born in the simple dogtrot cabin on this site in October, 1871. A "dogtrot" was a kind of construction in which two large rooms were separated by a porch area; this increased access to cool air during the summer and hindered the possibility of the entire cabin burning down from a fire in the kitchen.Hull was born to a humble life. His father, William "Billy" Hull was a sharecropper, moonshiner, and lumberman, felling trees and rafting them down the Cumberland and Obey rivers to sell in Nashville. Young Cordell accompanied his father on these rafting trips. Hull's family, Tennessee country folk of the Cumberland Plateau, continued to reflect the way of life Hull eventually left behind.While still in his teens, Hull suggested an intelligence and refinement that fitted him for a better life than the one in which he was raised. Attending law school and later entering politics, Hull was a Tennessee state legislator in his 20s and a judge in his early 30s. At 27, Hull served as a captain in a Tennessee volunteer regiment in the Spanish-American War. Unlike his younger neighbor of 19 miles away, Alvin York, Hull didn't see combat, since Cuba surrendered 4 days after his arrival, and the United States and Spain concluded an armistice a month later.Hull honored the service of his fellow Tennesseean, Sergeant York. The two were born in similar backgrounds, not quite 20 miles apart, and each became nationally famous, though they led very different lives.Entering national politics, Hull found his talents noticed by the great men of that day. The museum displays a letter addressed to Hull from Woodrow Wilson. Some photos show Hull and his wife welcoming King George VI of England on a visit to the United States, while others show him greeting the King of Norway, if I remember correctly.America's longest-serving Secretary of State, Hull became a confidante of our longest-serving President, Franklin D. Roosevelt. A newspaper cartoon at the museum shows Hull and FDR wondering what the Japanese were up to.Hull worked tirelessly to master technical details, reading books on tariffs and other arcane matters. He is said to have seen only one movie in his entire life. A replica of his office, including a manual typewriter, is on display at the museum.Having seen the devastation wrought by war, Hull worked to promote international peace and was called by Franklin D. Roosevelt the "Father of the United Nations." He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945. The certificate of award is shown in the museum. Hull had come a long way from his humble beginnings. Unlike his neighbor, Alvin York, Hull left Tennessee and never looked back, making his home in Washington. He is buried in Washington's National Cathedral.The log cabin where Hull was born shows the simple life of an earlier day. The Bible is seldom out of sight, as it was seldom far from the thoughts of the family who lived there. Across the road from the Birthplace and Museum, an attractive woodland trail leads to Bunkum Cave, where Hull's father distilled moonshine liquor in the late 19th century. The entrance to the woodland cave places you hundreds of miles away, literally and figuratively, from Hull's eventual habituation to the corridors of national power and his resting place in the National Cathedral, but it provides an interesting reflection on the life of a prominent and accomplished American.

This is a nice state park and very clean. like the lay out also the museum was very good and informtive

We frequent Byrdstown and visit this cave at least once each year . It's a 2 mile loop to the cave . The trail is well marked and pretty easy to walk until the end. You can either view the cave from a viewing platform or hike up and around it and enter the cave. There are stairs built to decent to the mouth of the cave but be careful in bad weather. It gets pretty muddy and slippery and you are staring at a pretty decent drop but in the end it's worth it. The trail is considered 'moderate' but we went with my 3 and year old and they were fine .

We came here while on a motorcycle ride and were very pleasantly suprised with the structures and property. I have watched the movie Sargent York and heard of this man. so we stopped and went through the buildings and read about this interesting man and his story.

nice trails, cool cave for exploring without lights and ropes, etc. we like this much better than the 'tour' caves that leave little to the imagination.

Interesting bit of history and short trail across from the historical site. Some of the trail was very incline but the cave at the end was interesting. Just a nice walk if you take it slow.

very nice I enjoy alot of natural and educational places, loved the adventure and have visited these places alot on and off for years, I have enjoyed every visit. I would encourage visits for family or "me time" hugs love

Before visiting the Cordell Hull Birthplace and Museum you should read a little about the man and his life. We have visited the museum and did know some about Mr. Hull before hand. We also had the opportunity to visit the United Nations Building in New York. It is an honor to be a Tennessean and this man of humble beginnings had such an impact on the world. Vist the birthplace and museum, it is a place of honor.

Once again, take advantage of what is offered in Tennessee that admission is free and educational value is high. I knew nothing of Cordell Hull really when we went to the exhibit. The information, photos and park ranger took care of my ignorance. What an inspiring person. You get to visit the home cabin where he was born and learn about his journey to be a noble prize winner. It takes about an hour but if worth the trip.

I would definatly visit the museum but I would not waste time on the trails as they are not much there to see other than the cave which is closed due to White nose syndrom. My entire attitude may change if the cave is ever reopened. The actually homestead and museum are very small and never once did we see a ranger or anyone working there!!

CHSHS is a nifty little SP in Byrdstown TN. If you are in the Dale Hollow Lake or Big South Fork region, its worth a visit. Cordell Hull (‘the founder of the UN’) was the Sec. of State under FDR. A museum located on the premises houses many of his awards (including his Nobel Peace Prize), personal letters, photos, periodicals, etc. There is also has a picnic area and a replicate of his boyhood cabin. Across the road is a 2 mile roundtrip trail that takes you to some caves where Hull’s father made moonshine.