David Crockett Birthplace State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids David Crockett Birthplace State Park |
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19th-century inscription on the footstone of the original Crockett cabin
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| Location | Limestone, Greene County, Tennessee |
| Area | 105 acres (0.42 km2) |
| Created | 1973 |
| Operated by | Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation |
| Open | Year Around |
| Website | David Crockett Birthplace State Park |
David Crockett Birthplace State Park is a special place in Greene County, Tennessee, United States. It sits right by the Nolichucky River. This park covers about 105 acres (0.42 km²) and is believed to be where the famous Tennessee frontiersman, soldier, and politician Davy Crockett was born in 1786.
The park has a copy of Crockett's birth cabin, a museum, and a big campground. Davy Crockett grew up in the mountains and river valleys of East Tennessee. He became well-known for his hunting skills and his amazing stories.
He later became a leader in the local army, called a militia. In 1821, he was chosen to be part of the Tennessee state government. Then, in 1827, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, which is part of the national government.
As a congressman, Davy Crockett strongly disagreed with many of President Andrew Jackson's plans. He especially opposed the Indian Removal Act, a law that forced Native Americans to move from their homes. Because he disagreed with Jackson, Crockett lost his election in 1835. He then moved to Texas. In 1836, he joined the Texas Revolution and bravely fought and died at the Battle of the Alamo.
Over the years, many plays and movies have told stories about Davy Crockett. These stories often made him seem like a larger-than-life hero. Because of this, he became one of the most famous folk heroes in American history.
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Exploring the Park's Location
The Nolichucky River starts in the Unaka Mountains and flows west. It carves a beautiful valley through the low hills of Washington County, Tennessee, Greene County, and Jefferson County, Tennessee. Eventually, it flows into Douglas Lake, which is part of the French Broad River.
David Crockett Birthplace State Park is located where the Nolichucky River meets Big Limestone Creek. This spot is about 68 miles (109 km) upstream from where the Nolichucky joins the French Broad River. Just downstream from Big Limestone Creek, the Nolichucky River has rocky areas called shoals. Here, the river makes a sharp turn because of the nearby hills.
The park is close to the town of Limestone, Tennessee, about 10 miles (16 km) east of Greeneville, Tennessee. You can find the park easily from Andrew Johnson Highway (U.S. Route 11E/U.S. Route 321). There are signs and a special marker from the Tennessee Historical Commission to guide you.
A Look Back at the Park's History
Early Settlements and Land Ownership
Long ago, Native American groups lived at the spot where the Nolichucky River and Big Limestone Creek meet. This was as early as the Woodland period (1000 B.C. - 1000 A.D.). People continued to live there for many centuries. Later farming in the 1800s and 1900s changed the land a lot. However, scientists have found old tools and other items left by these early inhabitants.
European settlers started moving into the Nolichucky valley after the French and Indian War. In 1771, a merchant named Jacob Brown created the Nolichucky Settlement. This settlement included much of the land where the park is today. Brown first rented the land from the Cherokee people and then bought it in 1775.
During the American Revolutionary War, the settlement joined with the nearby Watauga Association. In 1777, it became part of Washington County, North Carolina. Then, in 1783, the Nolichucky Settlement and other areas formed Greene County. A land buyer named George Gillespie bought the land in 1782. He owned the property when Davy Crockett was born.
Later, in 1824, Samuel Stonecypher bought the property. The Stonecypher family owned the land until the 1950s. That's when the Davy Crockett Birthplace Association bought it. This group created the park and gave it to the state of Tennessee in 1973.
Davy Crockett's Family Connection
Davy Crockett himself said he was born "at the mouth of Lime Stone, on the Nola-chucky river." He remembered that his father, John Crockett, had moved to Tennessee from North Carolina years before. Records show Crockett's father living in the area as early as 1778.
Davy Crockett also told a story from when he was very young. His brothers almost drowned in the Nolichucky River while trying to paddle over a "fall in the river." This might have been the rocky shoals located just downstream from Big Limestone Creek. He said that soon after this, his father moved about ten miles (16 km) above Greeneville.
In 1977, scientists looked for signs of an 18th-century cabin at the birthplace site. They didn't find clear evidence of a cabin. However, they noted that the land had been greatly changed by farming over many years. They did find various items from the 1700s and 1800s, along with older Native American artifacts.
The Park Today: What You Can See
Visitors to David Crockett Birthplace State Park might be surprised. The birthplace cabin is on a flat area by the river, not on a "mountaintop" as a 1950s song about Davy Crockett described it.
According to stories from the Stonecypher family, Samuel Stonecypher bought the land in 1824. He took apart the original Crockett cabin and used its logs to build a small house nearby. This became known as the Stonecypher cabin. The Stonecyphers said that the original cabin's foundation stone stayed in its first spot.
Around the 1880s, someone carved a message into this stone: "On this spot Davy Crockett was born Aug 17 1786." In the 1950s, the Davy Crockett Birthplace Association used the logs from the Stonecypher cabin to build the cabin replica you see today. The carved foundation stone was placed in front of this new cabin, where it still is. Since no one knew what the original Crockett cabin looked like, the association copied a log cabin from the late 1700s found elsewhere in Greene County.
In 1967, a local club called the Limestone Ruritan Club placed a large, round monument near the replica cabin. This monument has the names of all 50 U.S. states carved into stones from each state. There used to be areas behind the cabin that showed what frontier life was like. Other exhibits are in the park's museum.
In 2017, the park was updated to make the birthplace area look more like it would have in Davy Crockett's time. The old replica cabin was moved to the park entrance, and a new covered area was built.
Park Closure Due to Hurricane Helene
The park suffered a lot of damage from Hurricane Helene. Because of this, the park has been closed to the public since the hurricane. Everyone was safely evacuated before the storm, so no one was hurt. However, many parts of the park were badly damaged and cannot be used right now. Officials hope to rebuild, but there is no set date for when the park will open again.
Park Amenities and Activities
The park offers many things for visitors to enjoy. It has a visitor center, 88 camping spots, and two covered picnic areas. There are also two open picnic areas, a swimming pool, and a playground for kids. You can also use a public boat ramp to get onto the river. Several short walking trails follow the riverbank and the bluffs above.
Images for kids
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View of the park from the cliffs above the Nolichucky
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The Nolichucky River, near the campground
