Cookeville is the county seat and largest city in Putnam County. This marker stands in downtown in…read morefront of the courthouses buildings. The first courthouse was completed in 1855 and burned to the ground in 1857. The second courthouse was a rebuild with the same plans but was destroyed during the Civil War but Union troops. A third courthouse - two stories and complete with two staircases was erected in 1866 and destroyed by fire in 1899. This building, the fourth, was completed in 1900 and thankfully still stands. The building was initially 92x86 feet and had seven rooms on the first floor and four rooms above. It is a classical architecture made from Nashville red pressed brick and trimmed with native buff and stone. The original tower was removed during the 1962 remodel. The marker in front provides some additional history. It reads, "After Putnam County was established in 1854, this site was chosen for its courthouse. Fires destroyed the first building soon after it was erected in 1855, a second during the Civil War, and a third in 1899. Construction of this courthouse, James Yeaman, architect, by Scott-Smoot, contractors, was completed in 1900. It was remodeled in 1962-63." At 6:30 am, the building was completely secured and not open for an interior tour. There is street parking nearby. [Review 20091 overall - 447 in Tennessee - 1067 of 2023.]

Interesting old bridge. My hometown of Rome, GA had three very similar steel truss bridges fifty…read moreyears ago. Long since replaced now. We very much enjoyed the reminiscence and don't miss the cannabis dispensary in downtown district

super cool looking span in the finest tradition... named for Nobel Peace prize winner and former U…read more S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull; this parker truss bridge has been carrying traffic over the Cumberland River since the spring of 1936 connecting one part of town to another in a suitably impressive manner.

Since I had already found the Israel Putnam marker (this county, Putnam County, was named in his…read morehonor) it was helpful to also find the Richard Fielding Cooke marker so that I could learn why it's named Cookeville. The marker is to the east of downtoan near the History Museum. The marker reads, "Major Cooke (1789-1870), b. Culpepper County, Virginia, veteran of the War of 1812, with his wife Margaret Cox settled on a farm about nine miles southwest of here in 1816. As a State Senator, 1851-55, he secured passage of a bill refounding Putnam County, first established in 1842 but dissolved by court suit. He is buried in the Cooke family cemetery. Cookeville is named in his honor." In 1842, Putnam County was formed from portions of Jackson, Fentress, Overton and White counties, with Monticello as the county seat. After a lawsuit by some of the counties involved, Putnam County was disbanded. Cooke, who served on the Tennessee Senate from 1851 to 1854, was instrumental in the reformation of Putnam County in 1854. The marker was erected in 1976 by Putnam County. There is room at the side of the road to stop and read the marker. [Review 20096 overall - 452 in Tennessee - 1072 of 2023.]

For two years I've been attending story time and the summer reading programs with my little girl…read more Her love for reading and storytelling have just grown. Marcia Donovan has a passion for storytelling, music, and education, so the program has flourished for 20+ years. I cannot speak highly enough about this free weekly program. There's nothing else like it around.

Yeah I'm not sure what's going on but if it's your mailman or male women , cramming my mail in…read morethere and, even at times damaging merchandise,then I buy stamps and put extra stamps on there for outgoing mail near my mailbox, just for your mail people to take them off and then put in initials as to why on the envelope.....like, seriouslyy? 3 stamps!!!!!!.... So money out of my pocket because these people don't know what they're doing i've never seen anything like this in my life and then on top of having more injury to insult, things are not being put Sometimes correctly in the right box and then I have to file it as missing and then all of a sudden it shows up Either in my mailbox or the neighbor brings it down . I don't know exactly what's going on but I do also know that I'm not too happy about prepaying for a package online and asking your people to come and pick it up. Nobody bothers to show up. Not only are you guys taking my prepaid package money but at the same time my stamps. But that cramming my merchandise in my mailbox so yeah you guys have a lot of clean up work to do. Live off Buffalo Valley Road so you guys need to get this together.....

Very friendly staff. Not too busy, place is clean and parking was plenty. Large location off…read morewillow and east to access

You are passing through old mining towns. Back when railroad was king, people in these parts were…read morebustling and working hard in the coal mines. Nowadays, most people overlook this small museum when passing through. It's rather unpretentious. But if you are a history nerd like me you'll see that there is so much to this small section house and slam on your breaks so you can take a look. I was so lucky to pass through on a day when the museum was open. Inside you'll find this is an archivist's dream. There are annals and books and records by the dozen. If you have any curiosity at all about coal, railroading, local geography or county history or looking up an old family member than you have come to the right place. Community leaders, family members, retired workers, people who have settled here for years donated historical things to this museum. And what the museum has done is replicated what an old home in the area might look like. And it has replicated the feeling you get in a small town when all fathers, brothers, sons, husbands and uncles are working in mines for a living. The illnesses and hospital records. The old maps trekking railroad connections. The pride in you work. Gosh, stepping in you realize this 'replica' of a mountain home and the 'replica' of a miner's life is not really a faraway idea. After all, you are walking all around it. In fact, it's so close that the son or granddaughter of all the people showcased on the walls are actually standing in front of you giving you a tour. And you realize you have stepped inside living history and the heart of the local community. And that railroading was not that long ago actually. Progress and innovation aside, coal mining is damn hard work, for sure. Visit to the museum = free. Getting to know the community sharing oral history =free. The cost for thanking a coal miner = free. The whole experience = priceless.

This marker is in downtown Cookeville and is some distance from the current studios of the radio…read morestation which broadcasts a "news talk" format on 1400 AM and 107.7 FM. Here's where it started, reading "On July 20, 1940, broadcast pioneer Luke Medley (1907-1998) opened WHUB, the first radio station between Nashville and Knoxville, making Cookeville one of the smallest towns in the nation to have local daily news, music, and sports broadcasts. WHUB programs promoted economic growth in the area. Medley served as president of the Cookeville Chamber of Commerce while operating the station. Twice elected mayor of Cookeville, he also served sixteen years as county judge. In 2013 Medley was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame." This is marker number 2D-56 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. There is plenty of street parking nearby. [Review 20092 overall - 448 in Tennessee - 1068 of 2023.]

This is a very small library but I managed to spend about two hours here in their air conditioning…read moreand using their free wifi for a few work phone calls this afternoon. Fiction, non-fiction, reference, periodicals, the usual stuff. I have to wonder if this used to be a bank because there's a pretty cool looking vault here to check out (but not go inside). I had a comfortable space at the only table in the childrens' section. Quiet and with a power outlet nearby, this was a positive visit! [Review 18042 overall - 286 in Tennessee - 1563 of 2022.]