Enjoy Spooky Storytelling at Cordell Hull Birthplace’s Annual Haunted Trail Hike
On Saturday, October 27th Cordell Hull Birthplace State Historic Park will present our annual Haunted Trail Hike. Kids of all ages will enjoy a short guided nighttime hike along the lantern-lit Bunkum Cave Trail. We’ll also have a toasty fire at the trailhead, along with refreshments, including hot cider and cookies for everyone and bags of candy for the children.
At 6:30pm and 8:00pm, Master Storyteller Jim Buck will tell the spooky tale of Cal Logsdon, a man who was convicted of a grizzly triple-murder committed in Fentress County in 1868. This tale is not for the faint of heart, so prepare yourselves!
The event is free and supported by the Friends of Cordell Hull. Bring your whole family and enjoy a fun evening at the park. Festivities begin at 6pm and end at 9pm.
Coming Soon:
We have so much on the calendar to look forward to and hope we’ll see you at the park for one (or all) of our events! To keep up with our calendar, visit the park or connect with us on social media. For more information, to register for a class, or to help our park as a volunteer, call the park office between 8-4:30pm at 864-3247.
Tuesdays at 4PM – Five Buck Fiddle Club
If you’re a beginning fiddler looking for group instruction, we’ve got a great thing going at the park with our Five Buck Fiddle club. All you need is an interest, and instrument, and 5 bucks a week. Every Tuesday at 4pm we meet to learn more about traditional fiddle music and how to play it.
No experience? No problem! In our class, everyone proceeds at their own pace and we’re all learning at different beginning levels. Some of our class members had no musical experience whatsoever before joining our club, and they’re doing just fine. We’ll get you started with a few short introductory lessons to prepare you to join the group lesson and after a few weeks, you’ll be up-to-speed and learning at your own pace along with the rest of us.
Wednesday, October 24th at 10am – Preschool Hour
The kids will explore how wild animals are used as symbols for a variety of purposes. We will look into how different cultures use images of animals. This program is for kids aged 3 to 6.
Friday, October 26th at 10am – Coffee with a Ranger
Every Friday in October we’ve held a casual coffee at 10am. We’ll bring out an item from our archives that isn’t usually up for display and talk about Cordell Hull and what we know about the artifact.
Friday October 26th 12pm – 2pm – Appalachian Cooking (Sold Out)
Interpretive Ranger Josh will be cooking a traditional Appalachian meal from the 1860s. This will be a great opportunity to learn about Appalachian foodways and the type of food eaten in the Upper Cumberland. This class is already sold out, but we’ve had such a great response that we’ll be adding another date on the calendar soon.
Saturday, November 3rd at 1pm – Caves of Tennessee
In November, we’ll welcome speaker Chuck Sutherland for a photographic tour of the Caves of Tennessee. From amazing cave formations, to early human use, to prehistoric animal remains, you’ll see and appreciate caves in a whole new light. Coffee and light refreshments provided. Please join us for this interesting educational experience.
Saturday, November 17th at 1pm – Needle Felting Christmas Ornaments
Join Sue Duncan in the ancient art of needle felting. It is the art of compressing wool fibers together to form a non-woven fabric. Learn to make ornaments with cookie cutters and wool. Bring your favorite Christmas cookie cutter to use in the class or use one of ours! Cost for materials & instruction is $20 per participant. Children 8 years and older are welcome if accompanied by an adult. There is a 15 person limit for this class.
Friday, November 23rd at 1pm – Gobble Wobble Hike
Join our park staff as we hike the moderate Bunkum Cave trail. We will hike the 1.75 mile loop to work off some of those calories from Thanksgiving and learn about the history and wonders of the trail!
This year, we are partnering with Cash Express to provide new and gently used toys and coats for children in Pickett County. Donations of suitable items are appreciated.
We will also have hot chocolate to warm our fingers when we return. This is a fun family event for the whole family. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes and bring water.
Saturday, December 15th – A Forgotten Christmas
Join us for a down home Christmas at the park! We will have a traditional dance with a live band in the park office along with refreshments and living history programs. Cost is $2 per person.
Saturday, January 12th at 10am – Broom Making Workshop
Skip and Susan Peek have been making brooms for over 25 years and will be teaching this traditional Appalachian art. This is a great class for beginners and you will make a small broom to take home. This class is made possible through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission. Class fee is $25 per person. Bring a sack lunch.