Visitor directory
Fentress County directory
Sgt. Alvin C. York’s farm and gristmill in the Wolf River valley, the west side of the Big South Fork, the sandstone gorge of Pogue Creek Canyon, Northrup Falls at Colditz Cove and the courthouse town of Jamestown on the Cumberland Plateau — on Central time, an hour behind Knoxville.
Cities: Jamestown (county seat) · Allardt
Communities: Grimsley · Clarkrange · Pall Mall · Wilder · Armathwaite · Forbus · Little Crab · Banner Springs · Boatland
Official tourism, parks & attractions
Tourism
- Fentress County Chamber of Commerce ↗In the Historic Fentress County Jail, 114 Central Ave W, downtown Jamestown · (931) 879-9948 · Mon–Fri 8 AM–4 PM CT · local guides to the Big South Fork, shopping and the Highway 127 Corridor Sale, which the Chamber hosts in Fentress County.
Parks & outdoors
- Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area — Fentress County side (NPS) ↗The park’s west side reaches into eastern Fentress County around Zenith and Gernt · from Jamestown, TN 154 runs north to Divide Rd and the west-side trailheads near the Pickett County line (Middle Creek Loop; Sawmill trailhead for Slave Falls and Needle Arch), and TN 297 runs east to Bandy Creek Visitor Center in Scott County · firewood ban: bring only firewood from Fentress, Pickett, Scott or Morgan counties (Tenn.) or McCreary County (Ky.) · drones are prohibited · check NPS alerts before you go.
- Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area (TDEC) ↗Gravel parking and trailhead on TN 154, about a mile north of TN 297, north of Jamestown · a deep sandstone gorge with towering bluffs, rockhouses and arches along Pogue Creek, a Wolf River tributary, next to Pickett State Forest · open sunrise to sunset · dogs on leash only, but pets are not recommended because of vertical ladders and steep drop-offs · no rock climbing, no hunting.
- Colditz Cove State Natural Area — Northrup Falls (TDEC) ↗On Northrup Falls Rd, about a mile off TN 52 just east of Allardt · a trail to Northrup Falls, which drops more than 60 feet over a rock ledge into a narrow gorge on Big Branch Creek; Woodland-era hunters used the rock houses here more than 3,000 years ago · open sunrise to sunset · dogs on leash · no hunting.
Museums & history
- Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park (TN State Parks) ↗2609 N. York Hwy (US 127), Pall Mall, in the Wolf River valley north of Jamestown · the York family farm and home (a National Historic Landmark), the York Gristmill on the Wolf River, a World War I trench re-creation, a visitor center and gift shop, trails and two reservable pavilions · bank and paddle fishing on the Wolf River, stocked with trout in spring (trout stamp required) · the house and mill interiors have stairs, with videos of the upper floors · watch your footing at the trench and the mill dam.
Government
- Fentress County government ↗County Executive’s Office, Historic Fentress County Courthouse, Jamestown · (931) 879-7713 · the County Commission meets the third Monday at 6 PM CT in the courthouse courtroom · office closings and meeting notices on the county’s Notices page.
- City of Jamestown (county seat) ↗City Hall, 314 E. Central Ave · (931) 879-8815 · Mon–Thu 7 AM–5:30 PM CT · Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets the second Monday at 5 PM CT at City Hall · Jamestown holds a city election on Tue Nov 3, 2026.
- City of Allardt (MTAS listing) ↗2015 Michigan Ave, Allardt · Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets the first Monday at 4 PM CT at the Municipal Building · Allardt holds a city election on Tue Nov 3, 2026.
- Fentress County Public Library ↗306 S. Main St, Jamestown · (931) 879-7512 · free cards for county residents · computers, printing, copies and fax.
Shared with neighboring counties
- Big South Fork NRRA (NPS) — shared with other counties; listed under East Tennessee (general)
Local resources
- Emergency (police · fire · EMS)911Call 911 for any emergency.
- Fentress County Sheriff’s Department(931) 879-8142140 Justice Center Dr, Jamestown · lobby Mon–Fri 8 AM–4 PM CT · Sheriff Hunter Fowler ⓘ source
- UT Medical Center Emergency Department – Jamestown (ER)(931) 752-3222208 Central Ave W, Jamestown · standalone emergency department with CT, X-ray and lab · for emergencies call 911 ⓘ source
- Fentress County Health Department(931) 879-9936Jamestown · Tennessee Department of Health, Upper Cumberland Region ⓘ source
- Fentress County Executive’s Office(931) 879-7713Historic Fentress County Courthouse, Jamestown · County Executive Jacob Rosenbaum ⓘ source
- Fentress County Emergency Management Agency(931) 879-5075116 Justice Center Dr, Jamestown ⓘ source
- Fentress County Schools(931) 879-92181011 Old Hwy 127 S, Jamestown · calendars, closings ⓘ source
- Fentress County Election Commission(931) 879-7162111 N. Norris St, Jamestown · Election Day Tue Nov 3: polls open 9 AM–7 PM CT at your own precinct ⓘ source
- Highway emergency (cell)*THP (*847)Tennessee Highway Patrol ⓘ source
Checked Oct 28, 2026 · official sites only · phone numbers copied from each agency’s own page — tap ⓘ to confirm. In an emergency, call 911.
Area news
Headlines from local outlets · Fentress County
Every kindergarten through second-grade student in Fentress County received a career-discovery activity book designed by a local student.
Read at UCNow →Donovan Garrett, an 11-year veteran of the department, was named Fentress County’s solid waste director.
Read at UCNow →TWRA’s 2026 Bat Blitz in and around Fentress County found the federally endangered Indiana and gray bats among 316 bats of nine species.
Read at WSMV 4 →The Sheriff’s Department’s Winter Wood Program is delivering free firewood to seniors and others who need help heating their homes.
Read at UCNow →TCAT Fentress County is starting a new telecommunications program that teaches underground utility installation.
Read at UCNow →A new four-lane Clear Creek Bridge opened on Fentress County’s US 127 corridor toward I-40.
Read at UCNow →
Short summaries in our words — tap through to read the full story at the outlet. All area news → · Outlet requests: [email protected]
A short history
Woodland-era hunters camped in the rock houses beside Northrup Falls more than 3,000 years ago. In 1823 the General Assembly created Fentress County from parts of the counties around it and named it for James Fentress, Speaker of the Tennessee House, who had helped pass the bill. The county seat, Jamestown, honors him too; it was first called Sand Springs for the springs that bubbled up from the sandy soil, and the last of them is in Mark Twain City Park. John M. Clemens, Mark Twain’s father, practiced law and served as circuit court clerk and postmaster at Pall Mall before the family moved to Missouri, where Samuel Clemens was born. Pickett County was later carved from the county’s northern edge along the Kentucky line.
Caves near the Wolf River and Jamestown were mined for saltpeter, the main ingredient of gunpowder. The Civil War split the county: “Tinker Dave” Beaty’s Independent Scouts fought for the Union against Confederate guerrillas led by Champ Ferguson. In the 1880s German immigrants settled Allardt, and later coal, timber and barite drew workers to company towns such as Davidson and Wilder, which saw bitter strikes in 1932–33. Kate Bradford Stockton, a Fentress County reformer, ran for governor on the Socialist ticket in 1936.
Alvin C. York grew up at Pall Mall and won the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France. He came home to the Wolf River valley, pushed for better roads and schools, and founded the York Agricultural Institute in Jamestown; his farm, gristmill and grave are now Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park. Today the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Pogue Creek Canyon and Colditz Cove protect the plateau’s gorges and waterfalls, and the county keeps Central time, an hour behind Knoxville.
Towns & communities
- Jamestown — county seat; the Historic Fentress County Courthouse, Mark Twain City Park and its spring, the Chamber in the Historic Fentress County Jail, and the York Institute on the edge of town
- Allardt — city settled by German immigrants in the 1880s; its pumpkin festival each October, and Colditz Cove and Northrup Falls just to the southeast
- Grimsley (community) — on US 127 in the southwest of the county
- Clarkrange (community) — at US 127 and TN 62 in the south; Clarkrange High School and an EMS station
- Pall Mall (community) — in the Wolf River valley near the Pickett County line; Sgt. York’s farm, gristmill and grave
- Wilder (community) — an old coal town in the southwest, near the Overton County line
- Armathwaite (community) — on TN 52 between Allardt and Rugby; named by a Rugby colonist for his home village in England
- Forbus (community) — crossroads on US 127 near Pall Mall; the Forbus General Store historic district
- Little Crab (community) — in a mountain valley west of Jamestown, near the East Fork of the Obey River
- Banner Springs (community) — in the south of the county near the Morgan County line
- Boatland (community) — west of Jamestown, one of the county’s early farm communities
Our place stories in and near Fentress County
Go deeper
Neighboring counties: Cumberland County · Morgan County · Pickett County · Scott County · All counties →
Official visitor links
Checked Oct 27, 2026 · hours, fees and events live on these pages.
Videos
Sources
Checked Oct 27, 2026 · We summarize; follow these for the full history. No hours or fees on this page — check official sites before you go.
- Tennessee Encyclopedia — Fentress County (Lorene Cargile) ↗
- UT CTAS — Fentress County profile ↗
- UT MTAS — Jamestown ↗
- UT MTAS — Allardt ↗
- Fentress County — History and Communities ↗
- Tennessee State Parks — Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park ↗
- TDEC — Colditz Cove State Natural Area ↗
- NPS — Big South Fork NRRA ↗