The Cherokee Path was the primary route from Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

 to Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...

 in Colonial America

Colonial America

The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...

, connecting all of the Cherokee

Cherokee

The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...

 territories.

History

In the 17th century the Cherokee Path was used by English and French fur traders

North American Fur Trade

The North American fur trade was the industry and activities related to the acquisition, exchange, and sale of animal furs in the North American continent. Indigenous peoples of different regions traded among themselves in the Pre-Columbian Era, but Europeans participated in the trade beginning...

.

The path was mapped in 1730 by George Hunter, the Surveyor-General of the Province of South Carolina

Province of South Carolina

The South Carolina Colony, or Province of South Carolina, was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....

. At that time it ran 130 miles (209.2 km) from Charlestown to the colonial settlement of Ninety Six

Ninety Six, South Carolina

Ninety Six is a town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ninety Six is located at ....

, then to Fort Prince George

Fort Prince George (South Carolina)

Fort Prince George was constructed in 1753 in northwest South Carolina, on the Cherokee Path. It was named for the Prince of Wales, who would later become King George III of the United Kingdom...

 and the Cherokee village of Keowee, the principal town of the Cherokee Lower settlements (in present day Oconee, Greenville

Greenville County, South Carolina

- External Links :*...

, Pickens and Anderson

Anderson County, South Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 187,126 people and 70,597 households residing in the county. The population density was 260.6 people per square mile . There were 84,092 housing units...

 counties).

From Keowee, the path branched out into the Unaka Mountains, usually following streams and valleys, to Clayton, Georgia

Clayton, Georgia

Clayton is a city in Rabun County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,019 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Rabun County and is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains.-History:...

 and up to Franklin

Franklin, North Carolina

Franklin is a town in Franklin Township, Macon County, North Carolina, United States, within the Nantahala National Forest. The population was 3,490 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Macon County. Franklin is an official Appalachian Trail friendly destination...

 and Murphy

Murphy, North Carolina

-Household Income:The median income for a household in the town was $24,952, and the median income for a family was $35,234. Males had a median income of $30,395 versus $16,908 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,926...

 in North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 (the Middle settlements) and across to the Cherokee towns in Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

 (the Overhill settlements

Overhill Cherokee

The term Overhill Cherokee refers to the former Cherokee settlements located in what is now Tennessee in the southeastern United States. The name was given by 18th century European traders and explorers who had to cross the Appalachian Mountains to reach these settlements when traveling from...

).

Fort Loudoun

Fort Loudoun (Tennessee)

Fort Loudoun was a British colonial fort in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee, near the towns of the Overhill Cherokee. The fort was reconstructed during the Great Depression and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.-History:...

, constructed by South Carolina troops in 1756, was along the path. Cherokee Path was used as a military road during the American Revolution

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

.

Present-day

South Carolina Highway 11

South Carolina Highway 11

The Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway winds its way through Upstate South Carolina. Following the southernmost peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the route is surrounded with peach orchards, quaint villages, and parks...

 (the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway) traces some of the original path.

External links

• Information with photos and maps from the South Carolina Genealogical Society