Georgia Road

United States   Migration    Trails and Roads    Georgia Road

The Georgia Road, also called the Federal Road, was a toll road opened in 1805 from Savannah, Georgia across Cherokee Indian lands to Knoxville, Tennessee. Branches also extended to Nashville, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama. After improvements in 1819 it was renamed the Federal Road.

Historical Background
The 1805 Treaty of Tellico allowed the construction of roads through Cherokee Indian lands. The Middle Cherokee Trading Path was used for much of the route of the Georgia Road. It entered Cherokee land at Vann's Ferry and headed toward present-day Ramhurst, where it forked, one trail went north to Knoxville and the other west to Chattanooga (Ross Landing) and Nashville. Another fork started at South Pittsburg, Tennessee and followed the northwest side of the Tennesse River toward Huntsville, Alabama. White squatters often settled near the road on Indian lands, and the Indians were soon forced to withdraw.

Route
To Knoxville
 * Athens, Clarke, Georgia
 * Vann's Ferry, Hall, Georgia
 * Ramhurst, Murray, Georgia
 * Conasauga, Polk, Tennessee
 * west of Etowah, McMinn, Tennessee
 * Old Tellico, Monroe, Tennessee
 * Niles Ferry, Monroe, Tennessee
 * follow the old Marysville road to Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee

To Nashville
 * Ramhurst, Murray, Georgia
 * Chattanooga (Ross Landing), Hamilton, Tennessee
 * Monteagle, Marion, Tennessee
 * Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennessee
 * Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee

To Huntsville
 * South Pittsburg, Marion, Tennessee
 * follow the northside of the Tennessee River to
 * Huntsville, Madison, Alabama

Settlers and Records
For partial list of settlers who used the Georgia Road, see.