New Echota, Cherokee Nation

THE HEIGHT OF INDIAN CIVILIZATION...map

From New Echota

A town settled in what is now NW Georgia by the Cherokee is 1823. It was named in honor of the Ancient Cherokee City of Chota in Eastern Tennessee. In 1825, it became the capital of the Cherokee Nation.


On this site, many occurrences of historical significance occurred:


There was the creation of the First Indian written language, constructed by Sequoyah, which led to the Publishing of the First Indian Newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix.


Missionary Samuel Worcester lived in the Capital, who was the plaintiff in the Supreme Court Case, Worcester v. Georgia. The Court ruled that States could not infringe on
Treaties signed by the Federal Goverment. This was the case that supposedly caused President Andrew Jackson to say "Judge Marshall has made his decision, let him enforce it."


The Signing of the Treaty of New Echota, in which the Cherokee ceded lands to Georgia in exchange for money and lands in what is now Oklahoma. The treaty was signed in the Elias Boudinot House, and was the legislation which brought about the Trail of Tears.





You can tour the grounds for a small charge of $4.00 a person, parking is free. Included is a nice 1 to 2 mile hike (if you include the Seqouyah Nature Trail). You can visit recreations of the Cherokee Supreme Court and The Cherokee Council, and Cherokee Phoenix Print Shop. There is also an authentic, but not native to New Echota, typical Cherokee Homestead (two separate versions) and the Cheif Vann Tavern (which was moved here from Gainesville, GA, saved from the Lake Lanier Development). The only original house in place is the Samuel Worcester Home, which served at the time as post office, and school run by the missionary. The site of the Boudinot house is clearly marked but no structure is there in place. Additionally, along the nature trail is an active Beaver Dam, a swamp at one of the highest elevations I've heard of (600 feet above sea level), and some nice views of Town Creek.




It is located a little over an hour north of Atlanta on 75 at exit 225. It should take about two hours to see everything, and you could shave off 45 minutes if you skip the nature trail.



Other nearby attractions: Turn left out of the parking lot and travel twenty five miles to reach Chief Vann's Mansion, the only antebellum mansion built by an Indian. About thirty minutes south on 75, you can visit the Etowah Mounds and learn about Indian Cultures predating these Cherokee's by 800+ years.