European trades had interacted with the Cherokee since the late 17th century, coming from colonial settlements in Virginia and South Carolina.

In 1819, the US made what is known as the Calhoun Treaty with the Cherokee, forcing them to cede lands north of the Hiwassee River for settlement.

They were gathered in internment camps in Tennessee and Alabama before being forced on the long overland journey to Indian Territory (modern day Oklahoma), in a 19th-century event known as the "Trail of Tears."

Many crossed the Tennessee River at Blythe Ferry, in the southwestern part of Meigs County.

It includes images of fourteen sites representing the early history of Meigs County.

The central quilt design, including a map to locate the sites represented, was made by the late Flossie Bennett, a longtime leader of the FCE.

A committee of representatives from Ten Mile, Peakland, Concord, Goodfield, and Decatur, decided which sites would be included.

Initially displayed at the Meigs-Decatur Public Library, the quilt now hangs in the Meigs County Historical Museum in Decatur.

[6] A new building was constructed in Decatur to house the collection of the Meigs County Historical Museum.

[7] The Meigs County Historical Museum houses many court and family records.

The mural was funded by grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the VEC Customer shares program.

Watts Bar Dam is located along the river between Meigs and adjacent Rhea County.

Above it is the manmade Watts Bar Lake, which spans the river upstream to Fort Loudoun Dam just west of Knoxville.

State Route 304 - An important local road, mainly for local residents that live off of the highway, and its northern portions allows access to Watts Bar Lake's many marinas, resorts, and campgrounds.