THE HULL-YORK LAKELAND LEGACY
The Hull-York Lakeland RC&D Project was named to honor two great Tennesseans who sprang from the Upper Cumberlands of the Volunteer state.
Cordell Hull was born in a log cabin, which may still be seen at Star Point in Pickett County. A member of the Tennessee General Assembly at the age of 2l, he later served in the Spanish-American War, practiced law in Clay County and spent 24 years in the Congress of the United States. He served as U.S. Secretary of State for 12 years. His efforts on behalf of the United Nations brought him the Nobel Peace Prize. He often referred to his boyhood experiences in the Upper Cumberlands. He died on July 23, 1955, in Bethesda, Maryland.
Alvin C. York was reared at Pall Mall in Fentress County. He was of military age when the U. S. entered World War I, and was drafted into the Army in 1917. In the Argonne Forest he and a small detail of men came under fire from a German force. When the fighting was over the survivors of his detail said that they had not fired a shot. York killed each of the 20 men at which he had fired, and captured the 132 surviving Germans. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor and other decorations for his exploit. In later years, he devoted much of his time and income to the improvement of educational opportunities for the young people of the area. He died on September 2, 1964, and is buried in the Wolf River Cemetery near his home in Pall Mall, Tennessee.
The Lakeland portion of the project name is derived from the fact that within the boundaries of the project lie a number of man-made lakes including Dale Hollow, Cordell Hull, and Center Hill. These flood, power, and recreation lakes contribute greatly to the area's economy and future for potential development.
Pictures courtesy the Nashville Tennessean.
Introduction:
The RC&D Program was first authorized by the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962, Public Law 87–703. Program authority is also carried out in accordance with the following public laws:
· Public Law 97–98, The Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, Sections 1528–1538.
· Public Law 104–127, The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, Section 383. (The program was reauthorized through 2002 with the passage of this law.)
The original Hull-York Lakeland Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Area Plan was approved November 10, 1965. The project was composed of eleven Upper Cumberland counties, namely, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith and White. On April 6, 1972, the Secretary of Agriculture approved the membership of Cannon, Van Buren and Warren Counties in the Hull-York Lakeland area to receive both planning and operations assistance under the RC&D program.
The Hull-York Lakeland RC&D Council, governed by a Board of Directors, cooperates with the many established organizations and governmental agencies in carrying out projects which have been adopted by the Council. Using the RC&D Council Area Plan as a tool, project sponsors implement and carry out the program in keeping with goals, objectives and established priorities. Of the goals listed in the Area Plan, the Council has selected the goals which are to be apart of the annual Plan of Work for the fiscal year.
The annual Plan of Work is developed by the Council with assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. This plan will help assure orderly progress in carrying out projects in the area. It provides for priority ranking of RC&D projects and activities. The plan is open ended and covers two fiscal years and will be updated annually.
The Council encourages the sponsors and cooperating agencies to give special emphasis and consideration in initiating action so that these important activities may be implemented at the earliest date possible. This Plan of Work is designated to be used as a supplement to the Hull-York Lakeland Area Plan.