New Echota Cherokee Nation Capital, Georgia

In 1819 the Cherokee settled in this area to form a community, they called it New Echota. The Cherokee were pressured by the government and area settlers to conform and adopt American ways. They became one of the "Five Civilized Tribes" along with the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminoles. They assumed if they adopted American ways and became "Civilized" the American govt would leave them alone and let them keep their land. Being "Civilized" meant they needed to become Christian, Educated, form a government and farm the land. And so they did.

A middle class farming family had a larger home, smoke house, barn and other outbuildings

Small gardens

Larger house

Inside was about 20' x 20'

Larger bedroom with spinnin wheel

With a larger land lot size.

They had council meetings and met regularly

Inside the Council Meeting house

Looking at the Printing House and Vann's Tavern

The had a printing house where they printed a newspaper both in English and Cherokee. Copies of those newspapers still exist today.

A printing press

Printing office

Vann's Tavern where folks could come for sundries, lodging, gossip and news.

The Cherokee Supreme Court. They had their own set of laws and a Constitution

The Worcester House. Rev Samuel Worcester, a Presbyterian minister came to New Echota to minister to their religious needs. He started a church, school and served as a postmaster. He was arrested by the state of Georgia in 1831 for not obtaining a permit to reside within an Indian Nation. He is jailed for quite some time. He appeals his case to the U.S. Supreme Court (Worcester v Georgia 1832) and wins.

His house welcomed all who came and his hospitality was well known. However, President Andrew Jackson and the State of Georgia decided in 1832 to confiscate the land when gold was found on it. Pres. Andrew Jackson ordered the forced removal of the Cherokees and all other Five Civilized Tribes, to Oklahoma land. This forced march became the Trail of Tears.

All Indian tribes in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Carolinas and Florida are systematically rounded up and forced to walk up to a 1000 miles in to Oklahoma, wherein untold thousands died along the march. Rev. Worcester elects to go with them

Tennessee Motorcycle Ride on Deals Gap

St. George's Methodist Church

St. George Methodist Church - 1769

This church also has an active museum with dozens of original pieces including an active classroom that is occasionally used. Francis Asbury, first bishop of the Methodist Church, served here as pastor. Asbury worked tirelessly to bring Methodism to the new land, traveling 270,000 miles on horseback and ordaining more than 4,000 ministers in 35 years. He called St. George's "The Cathedral Church of American Methodism." Their artifacts include his Bible and a silver chalice that Methodism’s founder, John Wesley, sent St. George’s in 1785.

Inside the sanctuary

The pulpit on the left

Pulpit and organ in back balcony

Looking to the rear of the sanctuary

How cool is this?

Teachers desk, chalkboard and chairs for little students. Curved benches are on both sides of the room. It is about 10' square

Artifacts that are inside the case on the teacher desk

A surviving hand written letter from John Wesley to Rev. Asbury

In the museum

The original hand written sermon book of Francis Asbury! Recently restored and now preserved.

Certificates of good standing. Yearly, members needed to pay their pew dues and in return they received these certificates.

Coins and other pieces

Furniture and household items in the museum

Various silver pieces used over the centuries

A foot warmer. Folks brought these to church with them because churches did not have heating of any kind. You would put fire embers in side the box, then put your feet on top and cover with a blanket. These also helped to heat the pew boxes as well. Churches didn't have open pews, but a pew box that was enclosed, and these would help to warm the box.

Inside the mueum offices.

Old Victrola

Silver chalice, a gift given to Rev. Asbury from John Wesley