Unicoi Turnpike

[1] The trail began in Tennessee at Tellico Blockhouse on the Federal Road near Nine Mile Creek in present-day Vonore.

In the Sautee-Nacoochee Valley, the turnpike connected with the Cherokee Trading Path network which included trails to present-day Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

[6] In 1813, after requests from Tennessee and Georgia, the Cherokee struck a treaty with the U.S. government to allow construction of a toll road along the path.

[7] A company led by Russell Wiley worked from 1813 until 1817 to turn the trail into a two-lane toll road for wagons carrying freight.

[2] Inns and rest stops called "stands" were built along the trail at intervals of about fifteen miles.

[4] The toll ranged from twelve and a half cents for a man and his horse to $1.25 for a four-wheel “carriage of pleasure.

"[7] The discovery of gold at Coker Creek in the 1820s brought an influx of people and a fort was established to separate miners from Cherokee and their lands.