East Tennessee Historic Park Wins State Award

The Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park in Pall Mall accepted the 2017 Tennessee State Park of the Year award.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation said the park was recognized for “the exceptional visitor experience offered through living history programming.”

Through partnerships with the WWI Centennial Commission, Center for Historic Preservation and National Historic Landmarks Program, the park presented 1,200 programs in 2017. These programs include six on-site daily tours, historical learning and experiential WWI programs.

The park provides a short hike to the York gravesite, fishing on the Wolf River, a visitor center designed after a local general store, a gristmill, York’s childhood Bible school and various picnic facilities.

York was drafted into the war in 1917 and assigned to the Meuse-Argonne Front in France in 1918. During his patrol, York led soldiers through an ambush behind German lines, capturing four officers and 128 soldiers.

He received more than 40 awards upon his return, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. The farm and home at the park today were given to him in 1922 by the Nashville Rotary Club. — Shelby Jones