Warwoman Dell is a wooded valley or dell

Dell (landform)

In physical geography, a dell is a small wooded valley. Like "dale", the word "dell" is derived from the Old English word dæl.-See also:* Cirque* Combe * Coulee* Dells of the Wisconsin River...

 located east of Clayton

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:...

, Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

 in Rabun County

Rabun County, Georgia

Rabun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 15,050. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,519...

.

Name

Warwoman Dell and the Warwoman Creek, which flows through the valley, are named after a woman that 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...

 called “warwoman.” There is some degree of controversy as to which of two women from Georgia known as “warwoman” is the namesake. Some assert that the area is named after Nancy Hart

Nancy Hart

Nancy Morgan Hart was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War whose exploits against Loyalists in the Georgia backcountry are the stuff of legend...

, while others argue that Nancy Ward

Nancy Ward

Nanyehi , known in English as Nancy Ward was a Ghigau, or Beloved Woman of the Cherokee Nation, which meant that she was allowed to sit in councils and to make decisions, along with the other Beloved Women, on pardons...

 was the warwoman. Nancy Hart (a Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 era woman) was a resident of what is now Elbert County, Georgia

Elbert County, Georgia

Elbert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was established on December 10, 1790 and was named for Samuel Elbert. As of 2000, the population was 20,511. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,525...

 and is the person after whom Hart County, Georgia

Hart County, Georgia

Hart County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created December 7, 1853. As of 2000, the population was 22,997. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 24,240. The county seat is Hartwell....

 is named. While nothing is certain, the legends associated with Warwoman Dell seem to more closely match the legends associated with Nancy Ward. That, coupled with the fact that Rabun County was once part of the Cherokee Nation

Cherokee Nation

The Cherokee Nation is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It was established in the 20th century, and includes people descended from members of the old Cherokee Nation who relocated voluntarily from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who...

, suggests that Nancy Ward is the namesake for Warwoman Dell and Warwoman Creek.

Trails

The Bartram Trail

Bartram Trail

The Bartram Trail follows the approximate route of 18th-century naturalist William Bartram’s southern journey from March, 1773 to January, 1777. Bartram explored much of the territory which is now the states of North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and...

 winds through Warwoman Dell and two of Rabun County's favorite waterfalls are located in the area: Becky Branch Falls

Becky Branch Falls

Becky Branch Falls is a twenty foot waterfall located in Rabun County, Georgia. The waterfall is located on the Bartram Trail in a valley called Warwoman Dell, east of Clayton, Georgia...

 and Martin Creek Falls

Martin Creek Falls

Martin Creek Falls is a series of waterfalls located in Rabun County, Georgia, with the largest drop being about 30 feet. They are located on the Bartram Trail which is a National Scenic Trail in Georgia...

. Much of the valley is within the borders of the Tallulah Ranger District

Tallulah Ranger District

The Tallulah Ranger District is one of the five ranger districts of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The largest portion of the district is located in Rabun County, Georgia, which contains nearly . A portion of the Tallulah Ranger District is also found in Towns County...

 of the Chattahoochee National Forest.

Sources

• Georgia Place Names by Kenneth K. Krakow, 3rd Edition
• GeorgiaTrails.com discussion of Warwoman Dell and Becky Branch Falls