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Origin
First mention of a road connecting Nashville to the Georgia coast surfaced in the 1790's, when the trip across the Appalachian Mountains to Tennessee was difficult. A route from Savannah would have to climb fewer mountains, would be more direct and could give Nashville residents a second port for their goods. In 1803 Return J. Meigs agreed in principle with the Cherokee chiefs for a road. The genesis of the Old Federal Highway from the Chattahoochee River to Nashville, Tennessee came with the 1805 Treaty of Tellico. Article IV said
The citizens of the United States shall have the free and unmolested use and enjoyment of the ... following described roads, in addition to those which are at present established through their country; one to proceed from some convenient place near the head of Stone's river, and fall into the Georgia road at a suitable place towards the southern frontier of the Cherokees.
Route
James Vann, the mixed-blood Cherokee who negotiated the treaty, was given the right to run the ferry across the Chattahoochee River and a tavern at his Chattahoochee Plantation north of the crossing (the Chattahoochee flooded regularly). Settlers also knew this as the "federal crossing", now covered by Lake Lanier. The crossing today is remembered by two Corps of Engineer parks, Old Federal and Vann's Ferry. On the Cherokee side of the Chattahoochee settlers would climb out of the river valley to the rolling plains populated by Cherokee planters until 1838. By the time the Cherokee were forced west that year usage of the Old Federal Highway had dropped, especially for long distance travelers.
After stopping at Vann's Tavern for refreshments (perhaps even from his unique "walk-up window") or a night's stay, people headed almost due northwest to Blackburn's, a distance of 15 miles. Here the road ran along the steep bank of the river, crossing in the vicinity of a now decrepit group of buildings. During the heyday of the Old Federal Highway the area housed a tavern, livery, blacksmith shop, and there was a mill nearby. Later, Blackburn's became known as Buffington's when the owner changed. Leaving Blackburn's the road crossed into the Allatoona Mountains between present-day Cartersville, and Dawsonville, Georgia.
Ambrose Harnage lived in the Cherokee Nation with his mixed-blood wife, Nancy Sanders. Harnage was unusual for north Georgia - he was a wealthy farmer who owned slaves (about 20). He build a tavern on the site of the Tate House adjacent to the Old Federal Road probably in 1810, the year he married Sanders. Nancy's mother married into the Sanders family, one of the first family of settlers on North Georgia, predating the American Revolution. By 1830 a small village known as Harnageville had evolved around the tavern. This was the seat of government when the Georgia Legislature created the Original Cherokee County. Although it was listed as a courthouse, Harnage's was not the site of any criminal proceedings; it only provided limited services to settlers.
From this point the trail continued to Jasper. North of Jasper a home known by various names served travelers after 1830. From 1819 to 1830 people following the Old Federal Road would have to continue to the Cherokee mission at Talking Rock. Known to early settlers as Taloney Mission and to later settlers as Carmel Mission, Moody Hall, Issac Proctor and Daniel Butrick greeted travelers warmly but did not serve alcohol, as most of the other stops did.
From here settlers continued northwest, crossing the Coosawattee ("Little Coosa") River near the rereg dam at Carters Lake. The was the site of an ancient Indian town of Coosawattee Old Town. When Cherokee from west North Carolina and east Georgia fled settlers encroaching the land, Coosawattee became known as "Old Town."
After passing Coosawattee, the Old Federal Road came to one of its only intersection. A second Federal Road headed north towards Knoxville. The Old Federal Road to Nashville continued to the northwest, past the site of Fort Gilmer, one of the infamous Cherokee Removal Forts, ordered to built by General Winfield Scott after he relieved John Wool as commander of federal forces in the Cherokee Nation in 1838. Although this was hastily built and served to house Cherokee from the nearby area, it also served as a consolidation point for Cherokee being moved north to Chattanooga or Cherokee Agency in Tennessee. These people would be forced west on a march known as the Trail of Tears.
Roads of North Georgia
Highways and byways of North Georgia, both present-day and historic
Article Links
American Revolution
Chattahoochee River
James Vann
Original Cherokee County
Winfield Scott
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