Around 1700 to 1740, the Cherokee population in 1720 was estimated at 16,400 and lived in about 60 towns in western North Carolina, northwest South Carolina, north Georgia, and east Tennessee, with smaller settlements and hunting grounds extending into Alabama, Kentucky, and Virginia. Modern Hayesville stands at the geographically significant site of Quanassee, which became a major trading factory or post around 1700. Quanassee and the other towns along the Hiwassee and Valley Rivers were known as the Valley Towns. Quanassee stood at the junction of several ancient trails linking the Overhill Towns of Tennessee, the Lower Towns of Georgia and South Carolina, the Middle Towns along the Little Tennessee River, and the Out Towns near modern Bryson City and Cherokee, North Carolina. The Unicoi Turnpike passed through Quanassee, then turned south into Georgia and followed its ancient corridor to Tugaloo Town on the Tugaloo River in South Carolina. The Quanassee Trading Path led across the Nantahala Mountains to Nikwasi, properly written Noquisiyi, now the town of Franklin.