The path now known as the Unicoi Turnpike Trail has existed for over 1,000 years. The earliest European maps of the area note it as a connector between Cherokee territories and the coastal ports at Charleston and Savannah. In 1756, British soldiers hauled weapons and supplies across the trail to establish Fort Loudoun. In the early 1800s, the trail was converted into a toll road and turnpike. In 1838, over 3,000 Cherokees traveled over the Unicoi Turnpike during the Trail of Tears. In Tennessee and North Carolina, historic sites and museums along the route reflect the role this important transportation corridor played in the nation’s history, and a two and one-half mile section of the original roadbed at Coker Creek is open for hiking.