We got our boats into the water about 9:15 a.m. and were paddling down the Tugaloo River toward Estatoe  by 9:30. “The Cherokee Indians inhabited this and other village sites along the Tugaloo River. They were a great agricutural society with the Estatoe Indian Village being  an important trading village on the corridor. The Tugaloo Corridor, also known as the Unicoi Turnpike, crossed North Georgia and  traversed on into Tennessee. Another major trading village was Tugaloo Town, which is now submerged under Lake Hartwell. It was the Eastern most end of the Unicoi Turnpike  and is located near the railroad bridge on the lake. Estatoe is currently one of the last remaining sites available for preservation.”

Kelly Vickers, our guide for the journey, challenged us to step back in time mentally and imagine what it was like to travel down the river 300 years ago.

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