Resistance in the Mountains 

Though the majority of North Carolina 

Cherokee submitted to forced removal, several 

hundred disappeared into remote sections of the 

mountains, becoming fugitives in their native 

land. The mountain terrain made locating these 

refugees very difficult. One officer reported, 

After three weeks of the most arduous and fatiguing 

duty, traveling the country in every direction, 

searching the mountains on foot in every point 

where Indians could be heard of we [have] not been 

able to get sight of a single one. The Cherokee's 

precise knowledge of the mountains and their 

communication network flummoxed the soldiers, 

rendering all attempts to capture them futile. 

Some Cherokee families received waivers to 

remain behind. When wealthy farmer John Welch 

received his waiver, he encouraged Cherokee to 

leave home and take to the mountains. He and 

others covertly fed the fugitives. In the years after 

removal, Welch’s farm was a haven for about 100 

Cherokee who escaped the army roundup. 

Dickageeska, one of the homeless Cherokee, 

recalled the steep price of resistance. They were 

compelled to subsist on the sap of trees and roots, 

and nearly all the children...died, only two children 

remained out of a population of near 100 persons. 

Yet by 1840 these Cherokee were forming 

settlements and reviving the customs of councils, 

dances, ball playing, and other practices. 

Doorstep Deportation 

In early 1838, army commanders viewed western 

North Carolina as a hotbed of Cherokee resistance. 

Rather than revolt, the Cherokee simply ignored 

the mandate to be removed and went about planting 

crops and building homes. In early June Capt. L. B. 

Webster noted, There are about six thousand in our 

neighborhood... They all remain quietly at work on 

their little farms... They sell us very cheap anything 

they have to spare, and look upon the regular troops as 

their friends... These are innocent and simple people 

into whose homes we are to obtrude ourselves... 

When the troops began their deportation operations 

on June 12, Lt. John Phelps said, ...seven companies 

of us marched thither... By night fall about a hundred 

[Indians] had assembled...by the morning of the 14th 

we were all in with nearly a thousand Indians. 

The first deployment of Cherokee left Fort Butler 

on June 18, 1838, forced to walk 80 miles to the Fort 

Cass emigration depot in Tennessee. Other groups 

followed through early July. Due to multiple delays, 

the Cherokee languished at Fort Cass for months before 

departing overland to Indian Territory in October. 

The Cherokee were assigned to one of three 

detachments, numbering about 1,000 people each. 

Cherokee leaders included Baptist preacher Jesse 

Bushyhead; Situagi (Situwakee), the headman of 

Hiwassee Town and Aquohee District judge; and 

Chuwaluka (Choowalooka) or Old Bark of Taquohee. 

By the time they reached Indian Territory, these 

detachments had lost 15 percent of their members to 

disease, exposure, and desertion. 

A Persistent People 

Cherokee living at Quallatown on the Oconaluftee 

River successfully demanded exemption from 

removal under provisions in earlier treaties 

between the Cherokee Nation and the United 

States. Known as the Luftee or Citizen Indians, this 

group eventually coalesced with their neighbors 

and kinspeople who managed to avoid capture 

during removal. They formed the Eastern Band of 

Cherokee Indians. 

North Carolina acknowledged these Cherokee's 

right to remain in the state in 1868, and the United 

States eventually recognized the Eastern Band as 

a distinct tribe. By 1875 political unification of 

Cherokee communities led to the emergence of 

six townships on lands purchased by the tribe and 

protected under a US government trust. 

Today, the Cherokee of North Carolina remain 

committed to protecting their homeland, while 

preserving and strengthening Cherokee language, 

culture, and tribal identity. In recent years, the 

Eastern Band has even begun to acquire some of 

the important places taken from them in earlier 

times, starting with the sacred site of Kituwah. 

In western North Carolina, the Trail of Tears 

is more than a story of loss and injustice. The 

Cherokee legacy remains one of survival, 

persistence, and resurgence, as they have 

successfully rebuilt their lives in both the West 

(Oklahoma) and North Carolina. 

Western Carolina UniversityTrail of Tears AssociationTrail of Tears National Historic TrailNational Park Service 

Trail of Tears North Carolina Map and Guide 

Forts and Roads 

The US Army and state militias built forts and 

roads in the Cherokee Nation to gather and 

forcibly remove a nation of people, over 15,000 

Cherokee, 3,500 of whom lived in North Carolina. 

In order to facilitate the brutal work of collection, 

imprisonment, and deportation of thousands of 

people, the US government tallied the number of 

Cherokee in each community and surveyed roads 

and trails. The Unicoi Turnpike, established 

in 1816, supplied an easy removal path as it 

ran through northern Georgia, western North 

Carolina, and eastern Tennessee. 

Fort Butler had been established in 1836 to 

keep order after the ratification of the Treaty of 

New Echota. Two years later, the army quickly 

constructed four more forts in the surrounding area. 

In 1837 the North Carolina legislature approved 

construction of the Great State Road between 

Franklin and Fort Butler to expedite the sale and 

settlement of Cherokee lands. During the spring 

of 1838 the Old Army Road, stretching between 

Andrews and Robbinsville, was improved in 10 

days from a Cherokee foot path to a wagon road. 

From these collection points and conduit paths, 

all of the North Carolina Cherokee captured by 

the army were funneled through Fort Butler. 

Cherokee Homeland 

Before the arrival of Europeans, the mountain 

region of what is today western North Carolina 

had long been the center of the Cherokee 

homeland. Here Cherokee built their towns and 

farmed the valleys formed by the Tuckasegee, 

Little Tennessee, Hiwassee, and other rivers. 

This region holds some of the most significant 

and sacred Cherokee places, such as Kituwah, 

considered the mother town of the Cherokee and 

a site of great religious, cultural, and historical 

importance. Today these mountains are still the 

home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, 

descendants of those who sacrificed tremendously 

to remain in their ancestral southeastern lands. 

Removal Decree Sets the Stage 

As early as 1803 President Thomas Jefferson 

supported voluntary Indian removal. But it wasn’t 

until Andrew Jackson was elected president in 

1828 that events accelerated. In 1830 Congress 

passed the Indian Removal Act, which mandated 

that the Indian tribes move to new lands west of 

the Mississippi. 

What happened in 1835 outraged most of 

the Cherokee Nation—a small number of 

unauthorized Cherokee tribal members signed 

the Treaty of New Echota, accepting $5 million 

to leave their ancestral lands and move to Indian 

Territory. The stage was set for Cherokee removal. 

When I saw them, men, women 

and children, moving along thro' 

the valley towards the far west, . . . 

I could not help but think that some 

fearful retribution would yet come 

upon us from this much impugned 

race. The scene seemed to be more 

like a distempered dream, or 

something worthy of the dark ages 

than like a present reality; but it 

was too true. 

-The Diary of Lieutenant John Phelps, 

June 22, 1838 

Fort Butler included a blockhouse, palisade, barracks, a hospital, and other buildings. Sketch of Fort Butler, ca. 1837 The US Army used five forts and two camps to round up 3,000 North Carolina Cherokee. They were 

funneled through Fort Butler and marched along the Unicoi Turnpike to Fort Armistead and Fort Cass 

in Tennessee before the long journey to Indian Territory. 

Wayah Bald in the Nantahala Mountains in 

western North Carolina, looking eastward 

Courtesy Ralph Preston 
 

Great Smoky

Mountains

National Park

Hiwassee River

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NORTH

CAROLINA

SOUTH

CAROLINA

Unicoi 

Turnpike Trail

GEORGIA

Great State Road Old Army Road

64

Murphy

Franklin

Cherokee

 Almond

Andrews

Fort Butler

Fort Delaney

Fort

Lindsay

Cherokee County

Historical Museum

Junaluska Memorial

and Museum

Museum of the

Cherokee Indian

Robbinsville

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Trail of TearsNorth Carolina Map and Guide 

Find Photo 

For more information on Cherokee 

history and sites in North Carolina, visit 

www.nctrailoftears.org/ 

www.nationaltota.org/ 

or visit the NPS Trail of Tears website 

and select Places to go - Travel Routes 

(from links on the right hand side of 

the Home page) www.nps.gov/trte 

While traveling along the Trail of Tears 

National Historic Trail, you will see a variety of 

roadway signs meant to help you explore the 

stories, routes, and sites on the Trail of Tears. 

North 

During the years of 1838 and 1839 the 

Cherokee were removed to Indian Territory 

(Oklahoma) via multiple routes across 

the country. The Roundup routes, shown 

here in North Carolina, were used by the 

US government starting in late spring 

1838 to gather the Cherokee from their 

homes and forcibly place them in removal 

camps, where they awaited the start of 

their 800-mile journey. Many Cherokee 

perished as harsh weather conditions, poor 

food supplies, and the spread of sickness 

affected these traveling parties. 

The National Park Service administers 

the trail in close partnership with Trail 

of Tears Association, the Cherokee 

Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee, 

federal, state, county, and local 

agencies, interested groups, and 

private landowners. Trail sites are in 

private, municipal, tribal, federal, or 

state ownership. 

Accessing Sites 

The Trail of Tears National Historic 

Trail is under development. It’s not 

possible to follow the entire trail along 

the historical course. In most cases 

travelers will have to follow public 

roads that are close to the authentic 

trail. Please ask for permission before 

visiting any trail sites on private lands 

and check with public sites for visiting 

hours and regulations. 

Printed 2016

 The Hiwassee River near the 

site of Fort Butler 

MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN 

589 Tsali Boulevard, Cherokee 

(Swain County) (828) 497-3481 

Coordinates: 35.48466, -83.31592 

Site Information: This museum, located on the 

Qualla Boundary, has exhibits that explain Cherokee 

life from its early beginnings through the present, 

including an exhibit on the Trail of Tears. There is Trail 

of Tears signage located at the front of the building 

interpreting the site of Qualla Town. 

FORT DELANEY 

Near present-day town of Andrews 

(Cherokee County) 

Coordinates: 35.20535, -83.82970 

Site Information: When troops arrived in the summer 

of 1838, several hundred Cherokee hid in the Snowbird 

and Hanging Dog mountains. In the Valley River 

area, a small number of Cherokee who had received 

exemptions from removal worked to conceal and 

supply the fugitives, providing food and information 

on the soldiers' activities. 

City 

Site 

City & Site 

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TENNESSEE

Trail of Tears

National Historic Trail

THE GREAT STATE ROAD AND THE 

OLD ARMY ROAD 

Coordinates: 35.26583, -83.81973; 

35.20537, -83.82991; 35.17372, -83.70259 

Site Information: North Carolina built a section 

of the Great State Road to connect the town of 

Franklin to Fort Butler. In June and July 1838, more 

than 1,500 Cherokee prisoners traveled this road as 

they departed their homeland. The Old Army Road, 

between present-day Robbinsville and Andrews, was 

constructed in May 1838 so troops could transport 

Cherokee prisoners out of the Cheoah Valley area. 

The road followed a much older Cherokee foot path. 

Sections of both the Great State Road and the Old 

Army Road remain intact and visible. This site includes 

outdoor exhibits. 

JUNALUSKA MEMORIAL & 

MUSEUM 

1 Junaluska Drive, Robbinsville 

(Graham County) (828) 479-4727 

Coordinates: 35.32005, -83.80861 

Site Information: The burial site of Cherokee warrior 

Junaluska, in the Great Smoky Mountains near the 

the Tallualla and Cheoah rivers, is dedicated to 

preserving Cherokee history and culture. The site 

includes a museum that displays both Cherokee 

artifacts and contemporary Cherokee artwork. The 

nearby Medicine Trail has plants traditionally used by 

the Cherokee (Joe Pye weed, witch hazel, sassafras, 

blood root, and others). The trail is about 1/4-mile in 

length and has a mild-to-moderate climb. 

AQUOHEE DISTRICT COURTHOUSE 

East of present-day town of Murphy just 

north of the intersection of Highway 64 and 

Old Highway 64 (Cherokee County) 

Coordinates: 35.06394, -83.94662 

Site Information: Exhibits at this site discuss the role 

of the Aquohee District Courthouse along the Trail 

of Tears. As the judicial hub in southwestern North 

Carolina, this site was a center of opposition to 

removal. In September 1835, US treaty commissioner 

John Schermerhorn tried to convene a conference here 

to negotiate a removal treaty, but Cherokee refused to 

attend. After this failure, Schermerhorn organized the 

meeting at New Echota that led to the infamous Treaty 

of New Echota in December 1835. 

FORT BUTLER 

Near present-day town of Murphy 

(Cherokee County) 

Coordinates / address for exhibits: 

35.08603, -84.03691 / at the historic train 

depot, on the corner of Hiwassee and 

Railroad Streets in Murphy 

Site Information: Fort Butler was the army 

headquarters for Cherokee removal in North 

Carolina. Situated on a hill above present-day 

Murphy, the fort boasted a blockhouse, palisade, 

barracks, a hospital, and other buildings. Cold, dreary 

camps, located north and east of the fort, provided 

temporary housing of Cherokee prisoners. Three 

thousand Cherokees passed through Fort Butler 

in 1838 on their way to deportation camps. From 

this spot, Cherokee prisoners were marched on the 

Unicoi Turnpike to Fort Armistead in Tennessee and 

from there to emigration camps near present-day 

Charleston, Tennessee. This site includes outdoor exhibits. 

UNICOI TURNPIKE TRAIL 

northern Georgia, western North Carolina, 

eastern Tennessee 

Coordinates: 35.19425, -84.13775; 

35.03731, -83.82380 

Site Information: The Cherokee exodus from western 

North Carolina followed the Unicoi Turnpike (Unaka 

Road), a wagon road built between Georgia and east 

Tennessee in the early 19th century. The road linked 

Fort Butler to the internment camps and emigration 

depot at Fort Cass, present-day Charleston, Tennessee. 

Cherokee detachments heading westward toiled 80 

miles on this road. Today you can walk, drive, or bike 

in their footsteps. 

FORT LINDSAY 

Near present-day town of Almond 

(Swain County) 

Coordinates: 35.37566, -83.56242 

Site Information: Fort Lindsay served as the 

northernmost military post established to carry out 

Cherokee removal. North Carolina militia built the 

post in late 1837, and it served as a gathering point 

for Cherokee taken from scattered small communities 

in the surrounding area. Soldiers had a very difficult 

time finding Cherokee fugitives in the rough terrain 

and dense forests. Many residents of the nearby 

Nantahala community successfully eluded capture. 

This site includes outdoor exhibits. 

CHEROKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL 

MUSEUM 

87 Peachtree Street, Murphy 

(Cherokee County) (828) 837-6792 

Coordinates: 35.08675, -84.03312 

Site Information: The museum explores Cherokee 

Indian life during the time of the Cherokee Nation 

before and after their removal along the Trail of Tears 

to Oklahoma. Its artifact displays contain many items 

that were used by the Cherokee people in their daily 

lives, including stone tools, pottery, and other items. 

VALLEY TOWN BAPTIST MISSION 

East of present-day town of Murphy at the 

intersection of Mission Road and Highway 

64 (Cherokee County) 

Coordinates: 35.06120, -83.94661 

Site Information: The Valley Town Baptist Mission was 

a boarding school that became an important center 

of Cherokee scholarship and resistance to removal. 

It contained a model farm, gristmill, and blacksmith 

shop. It gained acclaim after its directors adopted the 

Cherokee language for instruction and preaching. 

The school trained Cherokee leaders such as Peter 

Oganaya, John Wickliff, and James Wafford, men who 

led the opposition to removal in North Carolina. This 

site includes outdoor exhibits. 

ROUNDUP ROUTES