This is a list of state parks and natural areas in the U.S. state of Tennessee .
54-706: Red Clay State Historic Park is a state park located in southern Bradley County, Tennessee , United States. The park preserves the Red Clay Council Grounds, which were the site of the last capital of the Cherokee Nation in the eastern United States from 1832 to 1838 before the enforcement of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 . This act resulted in a forced migration of most of the Cherokee people to present-day Oklahoma known as
108-604: A ceremony attended by members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and local and state leaders. Groundbreaking for the park occurred on April 26, 1978, and Red Clay State Historic Park opened to the public on September 28, 1979. The southeasternmost 1.11 acres (0.45 ha) were added to the park on July 2, 1980. The Eternal Flame of the Cherokee Nation, a memorial to the Cherokees who suffered and died during
162-474: A majority of the nation, due to both sympathy with their cause and the destruction of the homes of other Cherokee who later joined them. The separation ended at a reunification council with the Cherokee Nation in 1809. Chiefs: Little Turkey was elected First Beloved Man of the Cherokee (the council seat of which was shifted south to Ustanali (later known as New Echota), near what is now Calhoun, Georgia ) in
216-515: A series of laws that prohibited the Cherokees from holding public meetings and nullified all Cherokee laws within their borders. In 1830, the federal government passed the Indian Removal Act , which authorized then- President Andrew Jackson to negotiate removal treaties with Native American tribes in the Southeastern United States . As a result of these actions, the Cherokees began to vacate their capital of New Echota , with
270-484: A skirmish nearby on May 3 of that year, and the troops began moving south four days later. The railroad depot and section house were rebuilt some time after the Civil War, and were later demolished, probably in the 1930s. The land that is now Red Clay State Park was sold and divided multiple times in the roughly 100 years after the Civil War, and continued to be used as farmland. An African American church and cemetery
324-546: A slightly modified version of the treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate by a single vote on May 23, 1836, and signed into law by Andrew Jackson. The treaty provided a grace period until May 1838 for the Cherokees to voluntarily relocate themselves. In an effort to prevent a Cherokee uprising, Brigadier General John E. Wool ordered approximately 300 men to take up position near the Red Clay Council Grounds in mid-1836. The final council at Red Clay took place in August 1837, in which
378-635: A state park. Local historian James F. Corn purchased 150 acres of the property on June 15, 1964, and six months later, the Cherokee-Red Clay Association was incorporated. In January 1970, Corn reached an agreement with the Bradley County Quarterly Court for them to purchase the land for the purpose of developing it into a tourist attraction. The following year, Bill Jenkins , then the Commissioner of
432-676: A written constitution in 1827, creating a government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Principal Chief was elected by the National Council, which was the legislature of the Nation. The Cherokee Nation–West adopted a similar constitution in 1833. In 1839 most of the reunited nation was reunited in Indian Territory, after forced removal from the Southeast. There they adopted one constitution. In 1868,
486-517: Is also speculated to have existed on the site some time after the Civil War. By the 1930s, the exact location of the council grounds had been forgotten, and some speculated that they may have been located in Georgia. This misunderstanding likely resulted from the Red Clay community's location in present-day Cohutta. Local historian John Morgan Wooten conducted research in 1934 and 1935 that established
540-598: Is made up of land along the Cumberland Trail, stretching from Cumberland Gap at the Virginia state line to Prentice Cooper State Forest in Marion County , just northwest of Chattanooga . The smallest state park is Bicentennial Capitol Mall , at just 19 acres (7.7 ha). Tennessee has 85 state natural areas that are divided into two classes: Nine areas have restricted access and are not open to
594-747: The Blue Ridge Mountains . In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Cherokees organized a national government modeled on the United States Constitution , and were recognized by European Americans as one of the Five Civilized Tribes . After the Hiwassee Purchase of 1819, in which the Cherokees ceded their lands between the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee rivers to the federal government,
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#1732791855447648-446: The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma was drafted in 1975 and ratified on June 26, 1976. A new constitution was ratified in 2003 with the name of the tribe changed to simply "Cherokee Nation". Appointed "Principal Chiefs", many holding the title to serve for a single day, signed documents and performed other pro forma duties as required by the federal government. The UKB Cherokee are descendants primarily of Old Settlers who organized under
702-529: The Cherokee removal . At the council grounds, the Cherokee made multiple unsuccessful pleas to the U.S. government to be allowed to remain in their ancestral homeland. The site is considered sacred to the Cherokees, and includes the Blue Hole Spring, a large hydrological spring . It is also listed as an interpretive center along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail . After the Cherokee removal,
756-908: The Tennessee – Georgia state line, and consists of a museum, replicas of Cherokee structures that once stood on the site, and three hiking trails, along with other amenities. Before the arrival of the first European settlers, the area was inhabited by the Cherokees , an Iroquoian-speaking people believed to have migrated south from the Great Lakes area, where other Iroquoian tribes arose. Their territory encompassed parts of present-day western North Carolina , western South Carolina , East Tennessee , northern Georgia , and northern Alabama . The Cherokee peoples in Tennessee were known by European settlers as Overhill Cherokee because they lived west of
810-509: The swamp lousewort and the Conasauga blue burrower crayfish . The majority of the park land is forested. It is accessible via Red Clay Park Road, which traverses the park; the main entrance is on the north end, and a secondary entrance is located at the southeast boundary on the state line. A Norfolk Southern Railway mainline runs along the eastern fringes of the park. A replica of a Cherokee farmstead, sleeping huts, blacksmith shop, and
864-726: The Cherokee Cultural Celebration. The event, sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and other groups, features exhibitions about Cherokee culture and heritage. Friends of Red Clay was established as a nonprofit organization in 2007, and hosted an annual pow wow in October, the last of which occurred in 2019. Part of the third episode of the PBS American Experience documentary series We Shall Remain , titled "Trail of Tears",
918-410: The Cherokees made a final unsuccessful effort to retain their lands. The Cherokee removal officially began on May 26, 1838, and the Cherokee agency at Charleston served as the military operational headquarters for the removal, with Fort Cass constructed on the site to house detainees. Many additional detention camps were located in northern Bradley County between Charleston and Cleveland , with two of
972-591: The EBCI. In 1906, the US government dismantled the Cherokee Nation's governmental structure under the Dawes Act (except for allowing the tribe to retain limited authority to deal with remaining land issues, a provision that lasted until June 1914). This act also provided for the allotment of communal lands and extinguishing of Cherokee land title in preparation for admission of Oklahoma as a state in 1907. Following passage of
1026-568: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee Nation, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians ; reconvened at Red Clay State Park for the first time since the removal. The park has also hosted a number of recurring events. Between 1982 and 2001, an event called the Cherokee Days of Celebration (known as Cherokeefest until 1986) was held at the park in August and sponsored by the state. The festival returned in 2003 as
1080-404: The Eastern Band of Cherokee, made up of those who had managed to remain primarily in the homelands of North Carolina, created a separate and distinct constitution and formalized the position of Principal Chief. The position had existed in the east since the time of Yonaguska . Their descendants make up the members of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians today, referred to as
1134-641: The Indian Agency—;the official liaison between the U.S. government and the Cherokee Nation—;was moved to the site of present-day Charleston along the Hiwassee in 1821, which is located approximately 23 mi (37 km) northeast of Red Clay. In anticipation of a forced removal of the Cherokees by the federal government, White settlers began rapidly moving into the area. Between 1827 and 1831, Georgia legislators passed
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#17327918554471188-704: The Latecomers were arriving, and John Looney succeeded him automatically. Looney was deposed by the council and replaced with Brown; his supporters wanted to put the Cherokee Nation West in a better position vis-a-vis the Ross party of Cherokee Nation East. The removal of the eastern Cherokee Territory took place in 1839. It was followed by the executions in June 1839 of Major Ridge , John Ridge , and Elias Boudinot (Treaty party members who had aligned with
1242-718: The Old Settlers). At that time, the council deposed Brown, replacing him with Looney. A sizable faction of the Old Settlers refused to recognize Looney and elected Rogers in his stead, but their efforts to maintain autonomy petered out the next year. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is made up of descendants of Cherokee primarily from along the Oconaluftee River in Western North Carolina , in today's Cherokee County. The band formed after
1296-564: The Tennessee Department of Conservation who later became a congressman, began working with then-Governor Winfield Dunn to appropriate funds for the establishment of the state park. The Red Clay Council Grounds were added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on September 14, 1972, and the following month, the preliminary planning study for the park was completed. A series of archaeological excavations of
1350-591: The Tennessee–Georgia state line and the city of Cohutta, Georgia , forming the southern boundary. It is located in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of the Appalachian Mountains . Elevations in the park range from slightly over 800 ft (240 m), where the council grounds were located, to more than 1,050 ft (320 m) atop a ridge. The park is home to two endangered species :
1404-527: The Treaty Party arose within the Cherokee Nation, led by Major Ridge , his son John Ridge , Elias Boudinot , and Stand Watie . This faction believed that removal was inevitable and in the best interest of the Cherokee peoples. On December 29, 1835, they secretly signed the Treaty of New Echota at their former capital, without authorization from the national council at Red Clay. The Treaty of New Echota
1458-462: The aftermath of the assassination by frontiersmen of Corntassel (also called Cornsilk) and several other leaders. Hanging Maw of Coyatee, listed above, claimed the title as his right by tradition, as he was the headman of the Upper Towns. Many Cherokee and the US government recognized him as Principal Chief. Little Turkey was finally recognized as "Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation" by all
1512-569: The approximate location of the council grounds; however, the Georgia chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a historical marker commemorating the site less than 1 ⁄ 2 mi (0.80 km) south of the state line on November 10, 1935. In the late 1950s, an effort arose, spearheaded by a number of local historians, to preserve the land of the Red Clay Council Grounds, then private land, and turn it into
1566-530: The command of Principal Chief John Ross , each attended by an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 Cherokees. During the meetings, the Cherokees sent delegations to Washington, D.C. to argue to Congress and the President on their behalf, and repeatedly rejected agreements to surrender their lands east of the Mississippi River and move west. While these councils were ongoing, a pro-removal faction known as
1620-535: The council fire. The park contains the iconic Blue Hole Spring, also known as the Council Spring, which was considered sacred to the Cherokees. The spring rises out of a bowl-like depression and takes its name from its deep blue color. It has a daily flow of 414,720 US gal (1,569.9 m), and its runoff flows into nearby Coahulla Creek, a tributary of the Conasauga River . Also located on
1674-409: The council house where the council meetings took place prior to the removal are found on the location of the council grounds. Originals of all of these structures once stood on the site; however, the number of sleeping huts and other log structures was much greater. More recent historical investigations also suggest that the actual council house may have been much larger, with a smoke vent in the roof for
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1728-541: The council temporarily meeting in Chattooga in Alabama in 1831. The following year, the Cherokee Nation permanently moved the seat of their government to Red Clay due to the site's central location and the abundant water source from the Blue Hole Spring, which they considered sacred. By 1836, the site had grown to include 91 log buildings. A total of eleven general councils were held at Red Clay between 1832 and 1838 under
1782-463: The eighteenth century, when the people were primarily organized by clans and towns, they would appoint a leader for negotiations with the Europeans. They called him Uku , or "First Beloved Man". The title of "Principal Chief" was created in 1794, when the Cherokee began to formalize a more centralized political structure. They founded the original Cherokee Nation . The Cherokee Nation–East adopted
1836-745: The end of the Chattanooga Campaign , Union troops destroyed the depot and tracks at Red Clay in an attempt to prevent the Confederate Army from using the railroad through the area. Beginning in 1864, the site was used by the Army of the Ohio as a staging ground in preparation for the Atlanta Campaign , with additional troops under the command of William Tecumseh Sherman arriving months later. A group of Union scouts engaged in
1890-574: The established capital of Tahlontiskee and built Tahlequah instead. During the Civil War, the Nation voted to support the Confederacy , and Ross acquiesced for a time. In 1862, however, he and many of his supporters fled to Washington, DC. At that time Stand Watie , serving as a Confederate officer, was elected Principal Chief by a portion of the Nation. The remaining Ross group never supported Watie's election, though, and lived apart under their own officials. In preparation for Oklahoma statehood,
1944-669: The federal Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936, the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society organized in 1939 as the United Keetoowah Band. The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved their constitution in 1940. The United States President began appointing a Principal Chief for the non-UKB Cherokee in 1941. In 1975, these Cherokee drafted their constitution as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, which
1998-656: The forced removal of the Cherokee and subsequent Trail of Tears emigration. There is also a short film about the history of the site. An unmarked grave believed to belong to Sleeping Rabbit, a prominent Cherokee who fought in the War of 1812 , is reportedly located in the eastern part of the park. The park also contains three trails: the Connector Trail, Blue Hole Trail, and Council of Trees Trail, with lengths of 0.15 miles (0.24 km), 0.2 miles (0.32 km), and 1.7 miles (2.7 km), respectively. The last of these ascends
2052-460: The largest at Rattlesnake Springs , where tribal officials agreed to continue their system of government in their new home. The removal became known as the Trail of Tears . A village known as Red Clay was established south of the park on February 29, 1840, in the present location of Cohutta, Georgia . A large tract of land that includes the site of the park was sold by the state government to Frank Kincannon and John D. Traynor in 1841. Another tract
2106-513: The original Cherokee Nation's governmental authority was dismantled by the United States in 1906, except for limited authority to deal with land issues until 1914. The Principal Chief was appointed by the US federal government . In 1971 an election was held. Principal Chief and incumbent, W.W. Keeler , who had been appointed by President Harry Truman in 1949, was elected. The constitution of
2160-514: The public; a tenth, Hubbard's Cave , has limited access during the summer. Tennessee state scenic rivers are divided into three classes: List of Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee Principal Chief is today the title of the chief executives of the Cherokee Nation , of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , and of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians , the three federally recognized tribes of Cherokee . In
2214-438: The removal, was placed on the site on April 6, 1984, at an event attended by both the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. This was the first time the two tribes were reunited since the removal. Between April 17 and 19, 2009, a joint council again convened at Red Clay to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1984 event. On August 22 and 23, 2015, the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes;
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2268-532: The ridge on the eastern half of the park and has a stone overlook tower. Also within the park are a pavilion, picnic areas, an amphitheater which can seat about 500 people, and a mini-theater. The pavilion must be reserved. List of Tennessee state parks and natural areas Tennessee has 59 designated state parks, operated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). The largest park, Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail ,
2322-424: The site became private land, and was primarily used for agriculture. In the later part of the 20th century, a group of local historians undertook an effort to preserve and protect the site and turn it into a state park. The site was named to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1972, and Red Clay State Park opened to the public in 1979. It encompasses 263 acres (1.06 km) of land immediately north of
2376-505: The site is the Eternal Flame of the Cherokee Nation, which serves as a memorial to the Cherokees who suffered and died during the removal, and is permanently kept lit. The James F. Corn Interpretive Center inside the park is a museum that features exhibits about 18th and 19th century Cherokee culture, government and politics, economy, recreation, religion and spiritual beliefs , and history. A series of stained glass windows depicts
2430-494: The site took place between 1973 and 1975 and uncovered a small number of artifacts, but failed to determine the location of the council house. The state of Tennessee purchased most of the land for the park on September 27, 1974, with an additional tract acquired on March 11, 1977. A dedication for the park that was organized as part of the United States Bicentennial celebrations took place on May 8, 1976, in
2484-709: The towns after the end of the Cherokee–American wars , when the Cherokee established their first nominal national government. Originally settling along the St. Francis and White rivers in what was classified first as Spanish Louisiana and later Arkansas Territory after the United States acquired it, the Western Cherokee eventually migrated to Indian Territory in 1828 after the Treaty of Washington. They named their capital there Tahlontiskee. John Jolly died while
2538-610: The treaties of 1817 and 1819 were made between the Cherokee Nation East and the US government; they were outside the former territory. They were later joined by Utsala's band from the Nantahala River in western North Carolina, and those few from the Valley Towns who managed to remain in 1838 following Indian Removal of most of the Cherokee to Indian Territory. Principal chiefs: Two principal chiefs of
2592-620: The tribe have been impeached since the late 20th century: Jonathan L. Taylor in 1995 and Patrick Lambert in 2017. After removal of the eastern Cherokee to Indian Territory on the Trail of Tears , they created a new constitution to unify the former Eastern Cherokee with the Western Cherokee. This allowed for direct election of the Principal Chief. Though a holdout minority of the Old Settlers elected John Rogers as their principal chief, his government never gained further support and soon faded away. The John Ross faction abandoned
2646-467: The tribe to British, French, and (later) American authorities. They typically had both peace ("white") and war ("red") chiefs. The range of aboriginal titles were usually translated by the English as "chief," but the Cherokee called their headmen of towns and villages " Beloved Man ." The term "emperor" is placed in quotation marks, since this title was created by British emissary Sir Alexander Cuming ; it
2700-560: Was considered by many Cherokees to be an act of treason , and was rejected by the council at Red Clay on February 2, 1836. Later that month, two councils convened at Red Clay and Valley Town, North Carolina (now Murphy, North Carolina ) and produced two lists totaling some 13,000 names, written in the Sequoyah writing script of the Cherokee language , of Cherokees who were opposed to the treaty. The lists were dispatched to Washington, D.C., and presented by John Ross to Congress. Nevertheless,
2754-455: Was filmed in the park in 2008. A sign designating the park as part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail was unveiled on February 7, 2018. A project to update the museum was completed on November 4, 2021. The blacksmith shop was added in June 2023. Red Clay State Historic Park is situated on approximately 263 acres (1.06 km) of land in a rural part of Bradley County, Tennessee , with
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#17327918554472808-532: Was not accepted by the tribe as a whole. In 1777, Dragging Canoe and a large body of Cherokee, primarily from Tennessee, separated from the bands that had signed treaties of peace with the Americans during the American Revolution . They migrated first to the Chickamauga (now Chattanooga, Tennessee ) region, then to the "Five Lower Towns" area – further west and southwest of there – in order to continue fighting (see Cherokee–American wars ). In time, these Chickamauga Cherokee comprised
2862-458: Was ratified on June 26, 1976. In 1999, they approved several changes to the constitution, including the removal of the qualifying phrase "of Oklahoma" from their name, leaving it simply "Cherokee Nation". Before 1794, the Cherokee had no standing national government. Their structure was based on clans and towns, which had various leaders. The clans had functions within each town and within the tribe. The towns appointed their own leaders to represent
2916-451: Was sold to John B. Marston the following year. The railroad, which had been planned through the area prior to the Cherokee removal, was completed in 1852, and a train depot and section house known as both "Red Clay" and "State Line" was constructed on the site. Most of the council grounds remained farmland. At least three skirmishes took place along the railroad at Red Clay during the American Civil War . On November 27, 1863, two days after
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