TOHA recently entered into a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service National Trail Office to research and document the Trail of Tears route from Fort Armistead through Monroe and McMinn counties to Fort Cass. 2001 Study of Trail of Tears through E. Tennessee Partners: National Park Service, University of North Carolina Laboratory of Archaeology, Coker Creek Heritage Group, Monroe…
This 67-mile trail between Vonore, TN and Murphy, NC follows an historic trade and war path that predates written history. Along the way you can stop to visit historic sites and museums that reveal the many layers of history that unfolded along this ancient route. A restored 2-mile section of the original roadbed allows visitors to walk in the footsteps…
The Old Copper Road was painstakingly built in 1853 to connect the copper mines in southeastern Tennessee’s Copper Basin to the railroad terminus at Cleveland, Tennessee. John Caldwell hired local Cherokee Indians and whites to build the road, an arduous task completed in two years. Upon completion, copper haulers drove teams of oxen and mules over the road for two…
Nancy Ward, Beloved Woman of the Overhill Cherokees, and her son Fivekiller are buried here. Their graves overlook the pastoral landscape along the Ocoee River, near where she operated an inn at Womankiller Ford in her later years. The site is owned by the State of Tennessee and managed by the Hiwassee/Ocoee Hiwassee State Park. See the Nancy Ward…
The original fort was built on the Old Federal Road (near the Tennessee / Georgia state line) in the early 19th century. It was used in 1838 to detain Cherokee Indians prior to their forced removal on the Trail of Tears. Time erased most of the fort’s structures, but the block house survived and was moved to the grounds of…
This 1200 acre park, features a reconstructed fort, located on the banks of Tellico Lake.originally built by the British in 1756, when this area was known as the “Overhills” – a designation given to Cherokee communities that rested on the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. Explore the barracks, shops and other structures. Historic Significance: Begun in 1756 and occupied until…
Designated a Tennessee State Scenic River, the Hiwassee flows through the Cherokee National Forest and the pastoral community of Reliance. According to the legend, the name Hiwassee is taken from the Cherokee workd ayuwasi and means “savannah or place at the foot of the hills. Native people began clearing the Hiwassee River Valley for agriculture around 3,000 years ago. A major…
Winding through mountains, past scenic rivers, and through small towns, you will discover the rich history of the Cherokee people. Follow National Scenic Byways, quiet highways, and backroads to visit sites that offer a glimpse into the past and a view of the present. Museums, historic sites, and memorials tie the past to the present and a people to their…
Exploring the Ancient Path The old trade and war path now known as the Unicoi Turnpike Trail predates written history. Covering approximately 67 miles from Vonore, TN to Murphy, NC, the Unicoi Turnpike Trail allows modern travelers to follow the footsteps of Indians, fur traders, explorers, British soldiers, and others who used this path for centuries. Along the way, historic…