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Byrdstown, Tennessee

Pickett County’s seat, a small town on the Cumberland Plateau a few miles from the Kentucky line: a Crab Orchard stone courthouse on the square, Cordell Hull’s birthplace just west of town, and Dale Hollow Lake and Pickett State Park a short drive away.

Town · incorporated 1917Seat of Pickett County →Pop. 798 (2020 Census)Central time (CT)Things to do ↓Eat & drink ↓Places to stay ↓Events ↓A short history ↓Town offices & resources ↓

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · all times Central (CT) · sources at the bottom

In 30 seconds
  • Why stop: eat on the courthouse square, catch a bluegrass night at the Dixie Cafe, then drive a few minutes to Cordell Hull’s birthplace cabin or down to Dale Hollow Lake.
  • Before you go: Byrdstown is on Central time (CT) — an hour behind Knoxville and Oneida, the same as Fentress County next door. The town is small: most lodging and every marina are outside the town limits, and the Welcome Center is just west of town on Livingston Hwy.
  • Good to know: this is Byrdstown, Tennessee, in Middle Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland. Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park, Pickett CCC Memorial State Park and the Dale Hollow marinas are in Pickett County but not in Byrdstown; the Kentucky side of the lake is a different state.

Visitor directory

Things to do in and around Byrdstown

In town

  • Pickett County Courthouse & the square ↗1 Courthouse Square, the middle of town · the courthouse, built of Crab Orchard stone to a design by the Nashville firm of Marr and Holman, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places · county offices and the Sheriff’s Office are here, and the Christmas parade circles the square. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Public Library ↗79 Pickett Square, just off the square · a county-run library open six days a week — Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5 PM CT, Sat 9 AM–2 PM CT · the lawn hosts the Christmas tree lighting. ⓘ source
  • America 250 veterans mural ↗On Main Street as you drive into town · a mural painted in 2026 for the nation’s 250th birthday, signed by Pickett County veterans · free to see from the sidewalk. ⓘ source

Just outside town

Nearby: Cordell Hull’s birthplace, Dale Hollow Lake & Pickett State Park

  • Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park ↗Not in Byrdstown — 1300 Cordell Hull Memorial Dr, about 3 miles west of town · 55 acres with a replica of the log cabin where Cordell Hull was born in 1871, a museum, the Cordell Hull Library and Archives and the Bunkum Cave Trail · the cave is open only May 1–Aug 31, with a permit · (931) 864-3247. ⓘ source
  • Dale Hollow Lake — marinas & resorts ↗Not in Byrdstown — the Corps of Engineers lake spreads over the west end of Pickett County, south and west of town · Star Point Resort and Sunset Marina & Resort are the Pickett County marinas; the Chamber keeps the full marina list. ⓘ source
  • Pickett CCC Memorial State Park ↗Not in Byrdstown — 4605 Pickett Park Hwy, east of town (Jamestown mailing address; the park is in Pickett County) · sandstone natural bridges, Arch Lake and the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, next to Pickett State Forest and the Big South Fork · visitor center 8 AM–4:30 PM CT · the campground is closed for renovations · (931) 879-5821. ⓘ source

Eat & drink

  • Dixie Cafe ↗31 Courthouse Square · home cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner — catfish, chicken and steak dinners · live music most Friday and Saturday nights · (931) 864-6535. ⓘ source
  • Scratch Kitchen ↗104 N. Main St · breakfast, lunch and dinner, indoors or out · (931) 864-0090. ⓘ source
  • Southern Dreams Bakery ↗150 Skyline Dr · yeast donuts, fried pies, cupcakes and coffee, with lunch specials · (931) 864-2253. ⓘ source

A short list of places in town; the Byrdstown–Pickett County Chamber ↗ lists more restaurants around the county and the lake. Call ahead — hours change.

Places to stay

  • Sportsman’s Lodge at Dale Hollow ↗Just outside town — 1201 Livingston Hwy, west of the town limits · a vintage motel on the way to the lake · off-season front desk Sun–Mon 10 AM–5 PM CT and Thu–Sat 12 PM–7 PM CT, closed Tue–Wed · (931) 864-3349. ⓘ source
  • Star Point Resort ↗Not in Byrdstown — 4490 Star Point Rd, on Dale Hollow Lake west of town · cabins, camping, boat and slip rentals · open daily 8 AM–4 PM CT (longer in summer) · (931) 864-3115. ⓘ source
  • Sunset Marina & Resort ↗Not in Byrdstown — 2040 Sunset Dock Rd, on Dale Hollow Lake south of town (Monroe mailing address; in Pickett County) · lodging, houseboats, boat rentals, a waterfront restaurant and the Ship Store · (931) 864-3146. ⓘ source

We found no hotel inside the town limits. For cabins, campgrounds and more lake lodging, see the Chamber’s lodging list ↗ (most are not in Byrdstown). Other county-seat guides with lodging: Jamestown (Fentress County) and Huntsville (Scott County).

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · in or out of Byrdstown checked against the Census town boundary. Call ahead — hours change. All hours Central (CT).

Coming up in Byrdstown

  • Thu Oct 29 — Last day of early votingAt the Pickett County Election Commission office, 105 S. Main St, Room 2. ⓘ source
  • Fri Oct 30 – Sat Oct 31 — Haunted BarnNot in Byrdstown — Pickett County Horseman’s Association grounds, 1847 Jones Chapel Rd · 7 PM–8:30 PM CT each night · $5 adults, $3 ages 12 and under. ⓘ source
  • Sat Oct 31 — Dale Holloween4:30 PM–6 PM CT at 116 W. Main St · the Town of Byrdstown’s free, well-lit trick-or-treat street of decorated booths and trunks; ask Town Hall for a booth space. ⓘ source
  • Tue Nov 3 — Election Day9 AM–7 PM CT · vote at your own precinct. State and federal races are on the ballot; no Town of Byrdstown offices are up (the town voted on Aug 6, 2026, and MTAS lists the next town election in August 2030). ⓘ source
  • Fri Nov 6 – Sat Dec 19 — Live music at the Dixie CafeMost Friday and Saturday nights, 6 PM–8 PM CT, 31 Courthouse Square · bluegrass and country bands; the Chamber calendar lists each night’s band. ⓘ source
  • Mon Nov 9 — Board of Mayor & Aldermen5 PM CT at Town Hall, 109 W. Main St · the board meets the second Monday of each month; the public is welcome. ⓘ source
  • Sat Nov 28 — Day After Thanksgiving HikeNot in Byrdstown — 8 AM–10 AM CT at Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park · free. ⓘ source
  • Fri Dec 4 – Sat Dec 5 — Byrdstown Christmas CelebrationChristmas Marketplace and the tree lighting at the Pickett County Library on Friday; on Saturday the marketplace opens at 9 AM CT and the Christmas Parade starts at 1 PM CT from Pickett County High School, circles the square and returns to the school · free. ⓘ source
  • Sat Dec 12 — Christmas Dinner at Cordell Hull’s birthplaceNot in Byrdstown — 10 AM–12 PM CT at Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park · a period Christmas dinner; details are posted in November. ⓘ source
  • Mon Dec 14 — Board of Mayor & Aldermen5 PM CT at Town Hall, 109 W. Main St (second Monday). ⓘ source
  • Wed Dec 16 – Wed Dec 23 — Holly HullNot in Byrdstown — Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park · bid on community-decorated Christmas trees · free to visit. ⓘ source
  • Fri Dec 18 — Blood Assurance blood drive1 PM–4 PM CT at 116 W. Main St · schedule a time through the Chamber listing. ⓘ source

More concerts, markets and lake events are on the Chamber calendar ↗. We’ll refresh this list after the Christmas parade on Dec 5.

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · times Central (CT) · dates from the Pickett County Election Commission, the Town of Byrdstown, UT MTAS and the Byrdstown–Pickett County Chamber calendar. More Pickett County events are on the county guide.

Area news

Headlines · Byrdstown

  • NewsChannel 5 · Jul 2, 2026

    Veterans lined up to sign a new America 250 mural painted on a building at the entrance to Byrdstown, a tribute to Pickett County’s service members.

    Read at NewsChannel 5 →
  • UCNow · Oct 23, 2026

    Byrdstown finished a $3.8 million water-treatment project with new sediment basins and flocculation chambers that cut chemical use and improve water quality.

    Read at UCNow →
  • UCNow · Oct 13, 2026

    The Town of Byrdstown passed a resolution opposing a proposed nuclear-waste repository in Pickett County, citing the lake tourism economy and property values; the County Commission passed a similar measure.

    Read at UCNow →
  • UCNow · Oct 12, 2026

    The town board approved a 5 percent increase in water and sewer rates starting Jan 1, 2027, after state regulators flagged the utility fund’s finances.

    Read at UCNow →

Short summaries in our words — tap through to read the full story at the source. All area news → · Outlet requests: [email protected]

A short history

The General Assembly created Pickett County in 1879 from parts of Fentress and Overton counties. The county seat was to be called Wrightsville, for Lem Wright, one of the two Wilson County legislators who led the move to organize the county, but at the last minute it was named Byrdstown for Colonel Richard Byrd of Kingston, who had worked to keep Tennessee in the Union and then joined the Union army (Tennessee Encyclopedia).

No railroad ever reached the county. From the 1870s to the 1930s Pickett Countians cut logs in the hills and rafted them down the Cumberland River to Nashville, and steamboats on the Cumberland let towns as far east as Byrdstown ship goods to market. Byrdstown was incorporated as a town on Nov 1, 1917 (MTAS; Private Acts 1917), and its courthouse on the square, of Crab Orchard stone, is in the National Register of Historic Places (Tennessee Encyclopedia).

In 1943 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Obey River to make Dale Hollow Lake; the county lost most of its best farmland and a fourth of its people, but the lake, the dam’s low-cost power and the trucking roads brought clothing factories and, later, a lake-tourism economy. Cordell Hull, born in a log cabin just west of town in 1871, served as Secretary of State under Franklin D. Roosevelt, led the planning for the United Nations and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945 (Tennessee Encyclopedia).

Today Byrdstown is a town of 798 people (2020 Census), the seat of Pickett, the least populous county in this guide. It is in Middle Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland and keeps Central time, governed by a mayor and board of aldermen under a 2002 charter, and runs its own water and sewer systems (MTAS).

Read more: Pickett County (Tennessee Encyclopedia) ↗ · Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park ↗

Pickett County’s history → · Our history hub →

Town offices & local resources

  • Emergency (police · fire · EMS)911Call 911 for any emergency.
  • Byrdstown Town Hall(931) 864-6215109 W. Main St · Mon–Fri 7 AM–4:30 PM CT · water service, bills and leaks (after hours, choose option 5) · board meets the second Monday at 5 PM CT. ⓘ source
  • Byrdstown Wastewater(931) 864-37481099 Spring Rd · sewer problems and backups. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Sheriff’s Office (non-emergency)(931) 864-32101 Courthouse Square · the town has no police department; county deputies cover Byrdstown. ⓘ source
  • Byrdstown–Pickett County Volunteer Fire Department (non-emergency)(931) 864-37518817 Hwy 111 · for fires call 911. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County government(931) 864-3798P.O. Box 280, Byrdstown · the County Commission meets at 6 PM CT on the third Monday. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Clerk(931) 864-38791 Courthouse Square · tags, titles, marriage and business licenses. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Election Commission(931) 864-3583105 S. Main St, Room 2 · Election Day Tue Nov 3, 9 AM–7 PM CT at your own precinct. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Health Department(931) 864-31781013 Woodlawn Dr · clinics, vaccinations, vital records. ⓘ source
  • FirstChoice Family Care(931) 864-3232601 W. Main St, Suite A · primary and urgent care. ⓘ source
  • Byrdstown Medical Clinic(931) 864-02224 Courthouse Square · family medicine (Cookeville Medical Clinic). ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Schools(931) 864-3123Central office, 141 Skyline Dr · calendars and closings. ⓘ source
  • Pickett County Landfill(931) 864-31583065 Gib Moles Rd · town trash pickup is inside the town limits only. ⓘ source
  • Byrdstown Post Office(931) 864-3213300 W. Main St · passport services. ⓘ source
  • Dale Hollow Welcome Center (Chamber)(931) 864-71951005 Livingston Hwy · visitor information, marinas and lodging. ⓘ source
  • Highway emergency (cell)*THP (*847)Tennessee Highway Patrol. ⓘ source

Town of Byrdstown ↗ runs Town Hall at 109 W. Main St, the town water plant and sewer system, and trash pickup inside the town limits (UT MTAS lists the town’s utilities as sewer and water). Law enforcement is the Pickett County Sheriff’s Office, and the county offices are in the courthouse on the square.

Checked Oct 29, 2026 · official sites only · numbers copied from each agency’s own page or the county guide — tap ⓘ to confirm. Times Central (CT). Emergencies: call 911.

Around Pickett County

← Pickett County guide — Dale Hollow Lake, Pickett CCC Memorial State Park and State Forest, Cordell Hull’s birthplace and county resources.

Pickett County communities: Moodyville · Chanute · Travisville · Boom · Oak Hill · Star Point · Eastport. Next door: Fentress · Scott county guides.

Other county-seat guides: Wartburg (Morgan County) · Kingston (Roane County) · Huntsville (Scott County) · Jamestown (Fentress County) · Crossville (Cumberland County) · Clinton (Anderson County) · Dayton (Rhea County) · Decatur (Meigs County) · Athens (McMinn County) · Cleveland (Bradley County) · Madisonville (Monroe County) · Loudon (Loudon County) · Maryville (Blount County) · Sevierville (Sevier County) · Knoxville (Knox County) · Newport (Cocke County) · Tazewell (Claiborne County) · Benton (Polk County) · Greeneville (Greene County) · Morristown (Hamblen County) · Rogersville (Hawkins County) · Jacksboro (Campbell County) · Maynardville (Union County) · Rutledge (Grainger County) · Dandridge (Jefferson County) · Sneedville (Hancock County) · Blountville (Sullivan County) · Jonesborough (Washington County) · Elizabethton (Carter County) · Erwin (Unicoi County) · Mountain City (Johnson County) · Chattanooga (Hamilton County). Nearest seats with guides: Jamestown (Fentress), Huntsville (Scott) and Crossville (Cumberland).

Sources

Checked Oct 29, 2026