The path now known as the Unicoi Turnpike Trail has existed for over 1,000 years as a route linking Cherokee territories with the coastal ports of Charleston and Savannah. In 1756 British soldiers hauled weapons and supplies across it to establish Fort Loudoun. In the early 1800s it was converted into a toll road and turnpike. In 1838 more than 3,000 Cherokees traveled over the Unicoi Turnpike during the Trail of Tears. Today the route can be followed through Tennessee and North Carolina, where historic sites and museums reflect its importance in the nation’s history, and a two and one-half mile section of the original roadbed at Coker Creek is open for hiking.