Dupont Lodge

Nestled above Cumberland Falls, picturesque DuPont Lodge has been a favorite of visitors and local residents since 1933. Over the years, numerous McCreary Countians have worked at DuPont Lodge or the shops at Cumberland Falls. But, how did DuPont Lodge get its name?

In 1890, Henry C. Brunson purchased an inn above Cumberland Falls and named it the Brunson Inn (formerly Cumberland Falls Hotel). For the next thirty years, he and his family operated the Brunson Inn. Mr. Brunson sold the property to the Cumberland River Power Company for $190,000 c. 1920. The power company had plans to build a dam above Cumberland Falls and tunnel through the mountain, dropping the water below the falls through a turbine to generate electricity.

T. Coleman DuPont (December 11, 1863-November 11, 1930) was a frequent visitor to Cumberland Falls and loved both the Falls and the area surrounding it. DuPont, born in Louisville, was an engineer and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Senator from Delaware. In 1927, after learning of the plans to build a hydroelectric power plant above the falls, conservationist and Louisville Times editor, Tom Wallace, campaigned to save the falls and worked diligently for this cause until 1931.

In 1930, Wallace and other conservationists approached DuPont and persuaded him to purchase and donate six hundred acres surrounding the Falls. DuPont agreed to purchase the Falls and surrounding area for $400,000 in the hope it would be designated as a state park. DuPont died before the land was purchased, but his widow purchased the land in his memory and donated the land to the state of Kentucky for use as a public park.

In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps built a lodge and fifteen cabins above the Falls. The lodge was named DuPont Lodge in recognition of T. Coleman DuPont’s generous donation to the state of Kentucky and his efforts to preserve Cumberland Falls and the surrounding area.

Sadly, the structure known as the first DuPont Lodge was destroyed by fire in 1940. The existing lodge was built in 1941 and features large beams of local hemlock. The lodge boasts beautiful stone fireplaces and an impressive deck with a breathtaking view of the Cumberland River and surrounding forest. Although DuPont Lodge is located in adjoining Whitley County, McCreary County has a deep connection to its history. The lodge has provided employment opportunities to county residents and has been the site of numerous class reunions, conferences, honeymoons, proms, weddings, and family gatherings for the last seventy two years.

For further information contact Debbie Kidd-Trammell at dtrammell@historicstearns.org.

Special thanks to Dawn Strunk for providing information for this article.