Last updated: June 27, 2024
Place
Hiwassee River Heritage Center
NPS Photo
Quick Facts
Location:
8746 Hiwassee St, Charleston, TN 37310
Significance:
The facility features a large number of interpretive panels that tell the story of the Trail of Tears in Charleston (a key removal site) and elsewhere in eastern Tennessee.
Designation:
Certified Site
MANAGED BY:
"Discover a compelling story of human spirit and tragic sacrifice. The banks of the Hiwassee River were witness to nationally significant history involving the Trail of Tears and the Civil War. Present-day Charleston was once the site of the federal Indian Agency and eventually Fort Cass, the U.S. military headquarters for the entire Cherokee Trail of Tears removal. The Hiwassee River was a pivotal crossing for troop movement in the Civil War and several officers on both sides of the conflict made Charleston a stop in their operations. Discover these important stories and more at this recently opened interpretive center, designated by the National Park Service as a certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail."
This visitor center and art gallery, opened in May 2013, is owned by the Charleston-Calhoun Hiwassee Historical Society and is managed in conjunction with the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. The facility features a large number of interpretive panels that tell the story of the Trail of Tears in Charleston (a key removal site) and elsewhere in eastern Tennessee.
Site Information
Location (8746 Hiwassee Street (US Hwy. 11/State Hwy. 2), Charleston, Tennessee)