1805 Treaty of Tellico started Old Federal Road

The 1805 Treaty of Tellico between the United States and the Cherokee Nation established a new Federal Road running thru Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. The agreement took place in October 1805 at Tellico Blockhouse on the shore of the Little Tennessee River. Tellico Blockhouse was the northern end of the Old Federal Road. Travelers heading south began their journey by crossing the Little Tennessee River at Niles Ferry. The video stars members of Fort Loudoun Garrison of Historical Actors and Interpretive Historians, and features Ryan Worden, Michael Yona Ross, and Ethan Sutton. Tellico Trail Documentaries are produced by Chanse Simpson. The stories are inspired by places in James P. Swayne’s 2025 book, Old Federal Road, which is available on Amazon and at bookstores, museums, and other locations in East Tennessee. The Old Federal Road was created in 1805. Stretches of the road have been in continuous use for more than two centuries.