Off The Beaten Path

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Georgia, United States
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never ever the same.

Monday, September 10

Talking Rock

The tiny town of Talking Rock in north Pickens county has a history that overshadows its size. (As of the census in 2000, there were 49 people, 19 households, 14 families residing in the town.) In fact, the history and heritage of Talking Rock might come as a surprise to passengers rushing past this tiny town down nearby Highway 515. Talking Rock's known history began with the Cherokee, who gave Talking Rock its name. Originally the Cherokee called the area "Nunya Gunwani ski," or "the rock that talks." Although a number of claims have been made about the origin of the name, it most likely has something to do with the "echo rocks" along the creek near where the creek crosses the Pickens county line.

In 1806, the U.S. Government signed a treaty with the Cherokee which allowed a road to be built by the government across Cherokee lands. This road, which would connect the settled parts of northeast Georgia with Tennessee, was called, simply, the Federal Road. The Federal Road, as it is still known in spots today, passed through Pickens county and through the tiny town of Talking Rock. As with most Cherokee lands the Cherokee were systematically driven out, and the tiny town of talking Rock, which had once been an important council area for the Cherokee, became their prison. In 1838 during the Cherokee Removal, Fort Talking Rock, sometimes known as Fort Newman became a stockade where the Cherokee were held in deplorable conditions until they were driven west on the now infamous Trail of Tears.

13 comments:

Queenie said...

I always learn so much here, I FOUND THAT SO INTERESTING, Nea You should be a teacher you make everything facinating.

Avus said...

Fascinating and very sad, Nea. It made me go and dig out an old Buffy Sainte-Marie record (yes! 35 rpm disc!) where she sings about the treatment of the Native Americans. As one who is a native herself she puts her soul into it.
One in particular - "My Country 'tis of thy People You're Dying" certainly gets it home.(see http://www.creative-native.com/lyrics/mycountry.htm )

Akelamalu said...

I love your history lessons miss! :)

Pete said...

Nea

Thank you for this. Made me go and check "Trail of Tears" on google.

As queenie said, you're a natural as a history teacher.

Pete...;-)
XX

Neoma said...

Hi Queenie, thank you.....:) Well, I am a writer, and there is nothing a writer likes better than to tell a story. I am also Cherokee on my fathers side, but his family had already been moved to Oklahoma before he was born.

Neoma said...

Hi Avus, the cause of the Indians was brought home to me many times throughout my life. Maybe because my father was Cherokee, and not proud of it, and my second husband was native american as are my two middle children, and he was not proud of it either, it made me wonder why? it is interesting and sad....what I found out......about what was done to the Indians.

Neoma said...

I need to go and listen once again to Buffy....i know Buffy, but do not have any of her records....now THAT is sad. a little background on Buffy....(Born on a Cree reservation in Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan, Buffy Sainte-Marie was adopted and raised in Maine and Massachusetts.)

Neoma said...

Hi Akela,,,,that you, if you guys enjoy them, when I can't think of anything worth writing, I will dig around for Georgia history. This was going to be my Louisiana blog, so maybe I will include some Louisiana history also.

Neoma said...

Hi Pete, every Indian nation has their own "trail of tears." But this was the one that you read about. My husbands (second) family was driven from the Sacramento river basin on foot in the winter to Covelo. When they go them there, the people went back, and were brought out on foot again. Over half died during the two trips. My husband's great Grandma was on six at the time, but she lived.

herhimnbryn said...

Nea. Thankyou for this.

Neoma said...

Hi HHB, you are very welcome. :)

Cindy said...

I found this very interesting- and it made me think of the Seneca's who have reservations near here. Every so often the gov. gets on a kick where they want to have the Indians pay tax on the gas they sell on the Res. So far it hasn't happened as the Senecas tend to revolt- they shut down the Expressway that runs through their land quite a few years back, etc...I side with the Indians- they were here first. It's shameful the way they are treated by our government.

Bill ~ {The Old Fart} said...

Wonderful story Nea, I like visiting your blog as you put some history into it. I love to learn about new places. What is the significance of the Caboose, does it have something to do with a Museum?

There is a subject I could go on about the disappearance of the Caboose on the end of Freight Trains. A Freight Train today doesn't seem complete without the Caboose.

Thankyou for Sharing