Byrdstown

History

Byrdstown was established in 1879 as a county seat for the newly formed Pickett County. The town, where several families already lived, was named for Colonel Robert K. Byrd, a state senator whose district included the new county. Byrdstown was officially incorporated in 1917. Former Secretary of State Cordell Hull (1871–1955)— who played a pivotal role in the creation of the United Nations— was born just west of Byrdstown. The Pickett County Courthouse, built in 1935, and the Cordell Hull Birthplace are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other historical sites include the Amonett House at the junction of TN-325 and TN-111.

Geography

Byrdstown is located at (36.572585, -85.137088). The town is situated in a hilly area on the Highland Rim, a few miles south of the Kentucky state line. Byrdstown lies south of the Wolf River, north of the Obey River, and east of Dale Hollow Lake, where the two rivers converge. Tennessee State Route 325 traverses Byrdstown from west to east, mostly following West Main Street and East Main Street. This highway connects Byrdstown with the Dale Hollow Lake and Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park areas to the west, and the rural parts of central Pickett County to the east. Tennessee State Route 111, which intersects SR 325 in western Byrdstown, connects the town with Livingston to the southwest, and Static at the state line to the north. At Static, the highway terminates at an intersection with U.S. Route 127, with the latter continuing northward to Albany, Kentucky. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Pickett County Elementary
  Elementary · Byrdstown · 445 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Pickett Co High School
  High · Byrdstown · 199 students · 15.3:1 ratio