Wolf River (Middle Tennessee)
Encyclopedia
The Wolf River is a 40.3 miles (64.9 km) river in the U.S. state
s of Tennessee
and Kentucky
that rises at the base of the Cumberland Plateau
in Fentress County, Tennessee and flows westward for several miles before emptying into the Obey River
at the Dale Hollow Reservoir
. The river is part of the Cumberland River
drainage basin, and flows primarily in Middle Tennessee
and southern Kentucky
. Via the Cumberland and Ohio
rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River
watershed. It is not to be confused with the Wolf River
of West Tennessee
which flows into the Mississippi at Memphis
.
The source of the Wolf River is located at the confluence of Pogue Creek and Delk Creek in a rugged hollow approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the community of Pall Mall
. Two miles below its source, the river absorbs Rotten Fork before entering the communities of Wolf River and Pall Mall, both of which are associated with World War I
hero Alvin C. York. York's farm and gristmill
were both located along the river at Pall Mall, and he and his family are buried in the large cemetery at Wolf River. York's farm is now part of a state historic park
. Beyond Pall Mall, the river continues westward across the northeastern Highland Rim
into Pickett County, passing just north of Byrdstown
and flowing through a rolling area of forest and farmland. It crosses briefly into Clinton County, Kentucky
, where its water becomes slack due to the impoundment of Dale Hollow Reservoir on the Obey River. The Wolf's confluence with the Obey is located just southeast of the point where Pickett County, Tennessee, Clay County, Tennessee, and Clinton County, Kentucky meet. Most of the lower half of the Wolf River comprises an embayment of Dale Hollow, which also extends into Cumberland County, Kentucky
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
that rises at the base of the Cumberland Plateau
Cumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
in Fentress County, Tennessee and flows westward for several miles before emptying into the Obey River
Obey River
The Obey River is a tributary of the Cumberland River in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It joins the Cumberland River near the town of Celina, which is generally considered to be the Cumberland's head of navigation. Via the Cumberland and Ohio rivers, the Obey River is part of the Mississippi River...
at the Dale Hollow Reservoir
Dale Hollow Reservoir
The Dale Hollow Reservoir is a reservoir situated on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. The lake is formed by the damming of the Obey River, 7.3 miles above its juncture with the Cumberland River at river mile 380. Portions of the lake also cover the Wolf River...
. The river is part of the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
drainage basin, and flows primarily in Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
and southern Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Via the Cumberland and Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
watershed. It is not to be confused with the Wolf River
Wolf River (Tennessee)
The Wolf River is a alluvial stream in western Tennessee and northern Mississippi, whose confluence with the Mississippi River was the site of various Chickasaw, French, Spanish and American communities and forts that eventually became Memphis, Tennessee....
of West Tennessee
West Tennessee
West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the State of Tennessee. Of the three, it is the one that is most sharply defined geographically. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east...
which flows into the Mississippi at Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
The source of the Wolf River is located at the confluence of Pogue Creek and Delk Creek in a rugged hollow approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the community of Pall Mall
Pall Mall, Tennessee
Pall Mall is a small unincorporated community in the Wolf River valley of Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. Pall Mall is located near the Kentucky-Tennessee state-line in northeastern-central Tennessee. The population was at 1,398 people according to the 2000 census.The World War I hero...
. Two miles below its source, the river absorbs Rotten Fork before entering the communities of Wolf River and Pall Mall, both of which are associated with World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
hero Alvin C. York. York's farm and gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
were both located along the river at Pall Mall, and he and his family are buried in the large cemetery at Wolf River. York's farm is now part of a state historic park
Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park
Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park is a state park in Pall Mall, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Situated along the Wolf River, the park contains the farm and gristmill once owned by decorated World War I soldier Alvin C. York , who lived in the Pall Mall area for most of his life...
. Beyond Pall Mall, the river continues westward across the northeastern Highland Rim
Highland Rim
The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee surrounding the Central Basin. Nashville is largely surrounded by higher terrain in all directions....
into Pickett County, passing just north of Byrdstown
Byrdstown, Tennessee
Byrdstown is a town in Pickett County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 903 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pickett County.-Geography:...
and flowing through a rolling area of forest and farmland. It crosses briefly into Clinton County, Kentucky
Clinton County, Kentucky
Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1836. As of 2000, the population was 9,634. Its name is in honor of the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton. Its county seat is Albany, Kentucky, and it is a prohibition or dry county...
, where its water becomes slack due to the impoundment of Dale Hollow Reservoir on the Obey River. The Wolf's confluence with the Obey is located just southeast of the point where Pickett County, Tennessee, Clay County, Tennessee, and Clinton County, Kentucky meet. Most of the lower half of the Wolf River comprises an embayment of Dale Hollow, which also extends into Cumberland County, Kentucky
Cumberland County, Kentucky
Cumberland County is a county located in the state of Kentucky in the United States. It was formed in 1799. As of 2000, the population was 7,147. Its county seat is Burkesville, Kentucky...
.