The Ocoee Region was once the heart of the Cherokee Nation.

Red Clay Historical Park
 
The last of the council grounds of the Cherokee Nation before their removal along the tragic Trail of Tears are located here. A Cherokee farm and council house of the period have been replicated to offer visitors a glimpse of how the area might have looked 150 years ago. The sacred council spring produces over 400,000 gallons of sapphire-blue water a day, providing the area's long-ago residents with fresh spring water. An interpretative center houses a theater, exhibits and artifacts. Recreational facilities include a 500-seat amphitheater, a picnic pavilion, picnic area with grills and tables, and a two-mile loop trail with a beautiful limestone overlook tower. Limited handicap accessibility. The park is open 8 a.m.-sunset, March to November; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., December-February, Closed December 22 to January 1. Take Blue Springs Road or Dalton Pike off Hwy. 64 Bypass and follow signs. 423-478-0339.

Nancy Ward Grave

At the age of 17, Nancy Ward earned the name of Ghighau or “Beloved Woman” for her valor on the battlefield after her husband, a Cherokee warrior, died in battle and she valiantly took his place, rallying her fellow fighters to victory. This act of bravery catapulted Nancy into many positions of power in the Cherokee governing systems, among them, the Women’s Council and the Council of Chiefs.  Her high standing among her people, her remarriage in the 1750s to English trader Bryant Ward, and her desire for peaceful coexistence made Nancy a trusted liaison to the newly arriving white settlers. Nancy would use her considerable influence in the Cherokee Nation innumerable times to negotiate peace treaties between both the English colonists and later, the emerging United States government and her native people. She is buried beside the graves of her son Five Killer and brother Long Fellow. In 1923, the Nancy Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a monument on her grave. Newsweek.com recently named Nancy Ward 1^st on a timeline of women Political Pioneers.

Cherokee Chieftain
 
The Cherokee Chieftain, carved from a tree along Parker Street by widely-acclaimed sculptor Peter Wolf Toth, was presented to the city of Cleveland, Tennessee as a gift in 1974. The Chieftain is the focal point of downtown Johnston Park and stands as a proud reminder of the region's significant Cherokee Indian heritage.

Hair Conrad Cabin at Blythewood Farms

In the early 1800s, the area was inhabited primarily by Cherokees, among them Tekahskeh, or Hair Conrad as he came to be known. Conrad, a "man of means" and leader of the first detachment of Cherokees from Rattlesnake Springs on the infamous Trail of Tears, built his cabin in the architectural style of white settlers during the early 1800s. The cabin, the oldest residential structure in Bradley County, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Blythewood is a working farm, breeding championship show horses. It is best to call for a tour of the farm and cabin so someone can be there to greet you. 433 Blythewood Road SW, 423-476-8942.

We Shall Remain
Coming April 2009 to your local PBS station

For an interesting look at history from the Native American's perspective, be sure to check out WE SHALL REMAIN, an upcoming documentary that will be shown on PBS in April 2009. We in Bradley County are extremely excited about this film, since scenes for the Trail of Tears segment were filmed right here at Red Clay State Historic Park.