Extracted from Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research in Jefferson County, Tennessee, copyright © 1995 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  All rights reserved.

The Great Warrior Path

from East Tennessee to Southwest Virginia

Used by Pre-Statehood Indian Travellers in Present-Day Tennessee

Historian J. G. M. Ramsey describes in detail how the Great Warrior Trail, used by many white settlers to reach Jefferson County, transected East Tennessee:

"Still, along the vallies of what is now East Tennessee and South-western Virginia, lay the great route and thoroughfare between the northern and southern Indians, in their intercourse with distant tribes, in their hunting excursions, in their hostile expeditions and in their embassies of peace; this was the path of migration, the chase, the treaty and savage invasion.  Besides its central position and its direct bearing, the great Apalachian [sic] chain could no where else be so easily ascended and crossed. Abundance of game, water and fuel, a healthful and moderate climate, an unoccupied territory, no impracticable swamps, or deep and wide streams to retard their journeyings, were all considerations that led to the selection of this path.

"One branch of it was nearly the same as the present stage route passing the Big Lick, in Bottetourt [sic] county, Virginia; crossing New River at old Fort Chissel, near Inglis' Ferry, Holston at the Seven Mile Ford, thence to the left of the present stage road and near to the river, to the North Fork, crossing as at present; thence to Big Creek and crossing the Holston at Dodson's Ford, to the Grassy Springs, near the residence of the late Micajah Lea; thence down the waters of Nollichucky to Long Creek, ascending that stream to its source, and descending Dumplin Creek to a point a few miles from its mouth, where the path deflected to the left and crossed French Broad near Buckingham's Island.

"Near this, the path divided.  One branch of it went up the west fork of Little Pigeon, and crossed some small mountains to the Tuckalechee [sic] towns, and so on to the Over-hill villages of the Cherokees.  The other and main fork, went up Body's Creek to its source, and falling upon the head branches of Allejay, descended its valley to Little River, and crossing near Henry's, went by the present town of Maryville, to the mouth of Tellico, and passing through the Indian towns and villages of Tellico, Chota and Hiwassee, descended the Coosa, where it connected with the Great War Path of the Creeks.

"Near the Wolf Hills, now Abingdon, another path came in from the north-west, which pursued nearly the same route now travelled from the latter place to Kentucky, and crossing the mountain at that remarkable depression called Cumberland Gap.  It was along this path that the earlier English explorers and hunters first passed to Kentucky."

[J. G. M. Ramsey, The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century... (Charleston, SC: Walker & Jones, 1853; reprint ed., Knoxville, TN: East Tennessee Historical Society, 1967), pp. 87-88.]

Railroads

The East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad provided the primary service to Jefferson County.  The track traversed the County from Strawberry Plains to Russellville.  This track is still in use.  Historical documents related to the railroad are maintained at the Museum of East Tennessee and Virginia Tech University.