The Cherokee were one of the largest Native American Nations in the USA, and they called themselves Tsalagi or Aniyunwiya, meaning "Principal People." Cedar Falls Park was a wilderness hunting ground for Cherokee and Catawba Tribes, and the area had no known permanent Native American settlements. The first permanent settlement at this site was European. The Cherokee Path was a major trace crossroads with trails branching into Northeast Georgia and Western North Carolina, primarily used as a "fur for guns" trading route. It facilitated travel, trade, and communication, and was eventually upgraded to a wagon road with mile markers connecting Charleston with the Cherokee Lower Town of Keowee. Cherokee Towns were located on rivers for the water and available float river bottom land for crops. They planted large fields of corn and sunflowers that were sundried for food during winter. Small gardens would be planted with the "Three Sisters" (corn, squash and beans). These three crops helped support each other and provided a balanced diet for the Cherokee.