I headed out this morning for New Echota which was the Cherokee Capital before all of the Cherokees from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina were forced to move to what is now Oklahoma. That removal from their homelands, which resulted in close to 4000 deaths, is known as the Trail of Tears.
After watching the movie in the Visitor’s Center, I took some time in the small museum to learn more. The Cherokees were the only Native Americans to develop a written form of language. They also produced a newspaper on these grounds before they were removed.
There are a number of restored structures on the grounds that you can view on a self guided tour.
The Vann Tavern is typical of Cherokee buildings that served travelers as a restaurant, store, and inn. There was a small opening under the stairs that served as a ‘take out service’ for those customers that the Innkeeper did not allow inside. This building was moved here in 1955 from Springplace, Georgia.
The Trail of Tears is another of those awful things that occurred in our nation’s history. This has certainly been a spring of sobering history lessons for me.
On a brighter note, when I’m driving the rig or the car I seldom pay much attention to billboard messages. One billboard did jump out at me today, though. It’s where I found a true haven…
A popcorn haven that is. Can you believe a store with 250 flavors of popcorn? I couldn’t, so I just had to stop since popcorn should be one of the five food groups in my opinion. 
I leave you tonight with the only wildlife photo I captured today:
This pretty white-tailed doe paused briefly as she went along the outskirts of our site. Now Emma can add deer to the squirrels and chipmunks on her patrol schedule.
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
But did you share any of the popcorn with the white tailed deer?
ReplyDeleteFlavors don't dd calories! Ya, right. I always loved popcorn dripping with real butter, but it is not on my current eating protocol. Even the microwaved bagged popcorn is to high in fats! Yesterday I bought some plain kernels and dry popped them. I am trying to convince myself that it is eatable. NOT!
ReplyDeleteI am ashamed to admit that I was not aware that the Cherokee people had a written language and even a newspaper. Thanks for the history lesson...again. I have learned much from you this year.
ReplyDeleteI have never been a fan of flavored popcorn but then I got some Kettle Corn - caramel flavored and it was SOOO yummy. Glad you found some flavors to enjoy.
Oh, boy! Wait till Eldy reads about the popcorn..He's a popcorn nut! we'll put it on our "destination" list! Love the history. They should put kids on a bus and travel around the country instead of sticking them in school. Wait a minute...isn't that home schooling? :-) We really have learned a lot in our travels, too. But it's great to find out even more from blogging friends like you. :-)
ReplyDeleteI want to visit a popcorn store like that one. I love, love, love popcorn. Jim is a tiny part Cherokee so he was really interested in learning that they had a written language. That's just neat.
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteThere was another "trail of tears" with the Apaches in eastern Arizona being herded to central NM in the 1800's. That is HOT country and a long walk, all of it in dry deserty regions. Then, when settled in central NM, they were kept in a tight area with no hunting and subsistance farming. Awful. It took many years of suffering (and very little gov't help/food) and many deaths before they were released to go back or resettle where they could.
Emjay
I am sitting here drooling just thinking about that popcorn....you know, if you eat it standing up, any calories there are fall right to the ground! ;-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!!
I've managed to break my nightly popcorn habit but I've been craving it again for the last couple of days. Tomorrow night, I suspect, will be popcorn for supper night. I just bought a fresh bath of kernels so it should be really good! I prefer mine with butter and salt but I can be persuaded to eat other flavors. :)
ReplyDeleteAw popcorn, one of my favorites. The dachsies really don't get much people food except for popcorn. They love it. They know the word and Harley stands guard in front of the microwave while it is popping. We normally get the low-fat kind but they will scarf down kettle corn if they get a chance. Nothing like trying to eat it with three dogs drooling in your face. lol.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to read Trail of Tears for 2 summers now. But it is so sad what they put them threw I have to put it aside for a while. I'm glad you went to see these things
ReplyDeleteBut a perfect end to the day is the popcorn store
Never been much of a popcorn fan....with or without the calories/
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying your trip to Georgia. I didn't realize there was so much to see, do and learn there. Other than Savannah, we haven't spent much time there. It's now definitely on my list of places to visit again.
ReplyDeleteAngela would love that store..
ReplyDeleteI don't eat popcorn but your photo made it look really good!
ReplyDeletein southern missouri the trail of tears is near the college in the trail of tears state park.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is at night it had a very eerie feel.
We have a couple 'gourmet ' popcorn stores here, candy apple popcorn ?? Used to love popcorn but restaurant I work at, that is our 'gimmee' instead of bread...People are so loyal to their popcorn, times when the machine has broken we actually had people call up to see if machine was fixed and wouldnt come back until it was...not many places to get an old kettle popping machine fixed, takes a while.
Being from the Chicago area, I'm sure you are familiar with Garret's Popcorn..If not, you better GET familiar..It's some of the best ever!
ReplyDeleteYou and my husband--he can eat his weight in popcorn but is not so keen on the flavored kind!
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting place you've visited.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog. I didn't most of the facts here. Hard to believe that they were the only Native Americans two have written form of language. Thanks for including the photo too. Really neat.
ReplyDeleteWe visited another museum about the Native Americans and you are correct. It is so sad to read about how we treated these people. Kind of reminds me of the Holocaust, but at least we were a bit more human about it...not saying much.
I love popcorn. Almost eat it every night. Just watch the butter or a healthy snack becomes not so good.
You have done it again! Thought provoking lesson and beautiful pictures. Just south of Indianapolis, just off I 65 is a town called Edinburgh (close to the huge outlet mall). There in Edinburgh is a place that makes the flavored popcorn and they ship it all over the u.s. Delish. So if you need more and are on your way to see family....you have another place to stop and resupply your larder.
ReplyDeleteThat is a really healthy looking deer!!!
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteHow does the popcorn compare to Garett's from Chicago?
Judy I really enjoyed this blog. I've read a lot about the amazing Cherokee people and how successful they were at becoming what we term a "civilized" society. This country's policy toward them was shameful and based in greed as it was to all Native Americans. I'm still waiting for an apology from the government to the Native Americans for our flagrant policy of genocide toward them. Thanks for doing this post to raise awareness of who they were, all they accomplished and how badly our ancestors treated them.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if I were close enough, I'd be right over for that popcorn. I probably could just live on the stuff. One flavor for breakfast and others for lunch and dinner. Can't wait for the report on how they taste and which ones you like best.
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ReplyDeleteAnother great history lesson; thanks for sharing your visit with us.
ReplyDeleteGreat tour, we have been there several times as it is very close to where are grandson and family lives.
ReplyDeleteYou find the neatest shops
ReplyDeleteOMG!! Bacon and cheddar popcorn!!! And you only bought one (1) bag of it!!!! You are a stronger woman than I am, my dear! LOL John and I regularly eat popcorn for dinner - not the microwave stuff either. Love it. Ann
ReplyDeleteI'm 69 years old. Brought up in Berkeley, CA. Thought they told us everything. Never heard about this US Government action before. Too sad.
ReplyDelete