Before the 1830s, the mountains around Ellijay were part of the Cherokee Nation. Two state historic sites within an hour of town tell the story of that nation in the years just before removal, and both are worth the drive.

New Echota: the Cherokee capital

In 1825 the Cherokee national legislature established a capital called New Echota at the headwaters of the Oostanaula River, near present-day Calhoun. Georgia State Parks notes that it was the site of the first Indian-language newspaper office, a court case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court and one of the earliest experiments in national self-government by a tribe.

That print shop produced the Cherokee Phoenix, which the New Georgia Encyclopedia calls the first Native American newspaper in the United States. Its first issue came out on Feb. 21, 1828, with columns in English and in the Cherokee syllabary. Publication stopped in May 1834, when the Cherokee annuity went unpaid, and in 1835 the Georgia Guard seized the press. The Treaty of New Echota, signed here in 1835, gave up Cherokee claims to land east of the Mississippi, and New Echota became the place where the Trail of Tears officially began.

Today the historic site has 12 original and reconstructed buildings, including the Council House, the Court House, the Print Shop, missionary Samuel Worcester’s home and an 1805 store. The visitor center shows a 17-minute film, and a 1.5-mile nature trail leads to New Town Creek.

  • Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. From December through March it is closed on Sundays.
  • Admission: $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and youth 6 to 17, plus tax.
  • Phone: 706-624-1321

The Chief Vann House

James Vann became a Cherokee leader and wealthy businessman in the 1790s. Georgia State Parks says he built the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, covering 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County. He finished his 2½-story brick house in 1804. After Vann was murdered in 1809, his son Joseph inherited it, and in the 1830s the family lost the house to removal and rebuilt in Oklahoma.

The park calls it Georgia’s best-preserved historic Cherokee home. Tours show hand carvings, a 12-foot mantel and a “floating” staircase.

  • Tours: the house is seen only on guided tours, offered at the top of each hour. The last tour starts at 4 p.m.
  • Hours: Thursday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. (closed Sundays December through March).
  • Admission: $7 for adults, $5.25 for seniors, $6 for youth, plus tax.
  • Address: 82 Highway 225 N, Chatsworth
  • Phone: 706-695-2598

How it ties to the rest of the region

The New Georgia Encyclopedia notes that between 1805 and 1832 Georgia held lotteries to distribute land seized from the Cherokees, and the 1829 gold discovery added to the pressure. Our Dahlonega guide covers that side of the story, and our history of Ellijay apples picks up what came after in Gilmer County.

Planning a loop

From Ellijay, GA-52 runs west over Fort Mountain to Chatsworth, and the Vann House is just off GA-225 in Murray County. A loop could start at Fort Mountain in the morning, stop at the Vann House at midday and finish at New Echota in the afternoon.

Sources and further reading

Facts in this article were checked against these sources on October 30, 2026. Hours, fees and seasons change, so confirm before you go.