In 1820 the Cherokee Nation divided its territory into eight districts with land in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The village of Chattooga was chosen as base for the Alabama district, and a small log cabin near here served as its courthouse. Chattooga became the capital of the Cherokee Nation in 1831 when it was forbidden by the State of Georgia to hold meetings at its base in New Echota. The courthouse then doubled as the Cherokee capital. Chief John Ross addressed a meeting here of the Cherokee General Council on October 24, 1831. Because of its inconvenient location, the Cherokee capital was moved to Red Clay, Tennessee in the summer of 1832.