This location
According to Sequatchie: A History of the Southern Cumberlands:
“…An ancient trail known as the Black Fox Trail, began in the Cherokee settlements along the Hiwassee River, led northwest thru Charleston and Dayton, ascended Walden’s Ridge, and progressed down into the Sequatchie Valley by the mounds of ancient Indian villages some 5 miles south of present-day Pikeville and the ascended the Cumberland Plateau to Black Fox Springs near modern Murfreesboro.” The Cherokee followed this trail during the Cherokee Removal, as well. (pg. 71) Another ancient trail, the Sequatchie Trail, had its northern origin where the Black Fox Trail passed the Indian mounds and ran down the Sequatchie Valley to the Tennessee River. This route kept close to the Sequatchie River and passed the sites of a number of prehistoric villages.”
Bledsoe County and the Sequatchie Valley
Bledsoe County is the oldest and northernmost county in the Sequatchie Valley. It became Tennessee’s thirty-third county by an act of the Tennessee legislature in November 1807 and was named for Anthony Bledsoe, a Revolutionary War patriot who migrated to Tennessee from Virginia in the late 1700s. The Sequatchie Valley was part of Cherokee lands until 1805, when the Cherokee ceded the area to the U.S. as part of the Third Treaty of Tellico. The valley was probably named after a Cherokee chief, but the name has also been rumored to mean "beautiful valley" in the Cherokee language.
The BledsoeGeo GeoTour
The BledsoeGeo GeoTour invites you to explore the history, outdoor adventure, great food, charming towns and spectacular views as you discover the stories and beauty of Bledsoe County and the Sequatchie Valley. Download your passport and begin your adventure here.