Of the numerous Native American trails traversing Central Georgia from
the 16th to the 19th centuries, two were "adopted" by white settlers: the Oakfuskee trail and the McIntosh trail. The latter was the trading path
used by
Chief William
McIntosh between
his home in Cusseta (Carroll County) and the Inn he
had constructed at Indian Springs (Butts County). The McIntosh trail grew
into the primary route for east/west traffic within the region, supporting
stage coach and mail traffic, trade and simple travelers. The Indian Springs
Hotel (McIntosh Inn) hosted several treaty negotiations, and its presence
bolstered the route's popularity among travellers.
The earliest settlers of the McIntosh Trail area were Creek Indians who had migrated from west of the Mississippi River. The Creek Indians had a firm hold on much of central Georgia until the 18th Century, when European explorers began to arrive from the north and east. Two centuries after Hernando de Soto's initial visit to the region, settlers from Savannah moved inland as Scottish and Irish immigrants migrated south from the Carolinas and Virginia. Pressure on the Creek Indians increased rapidly as the numbers of settlers grew and Creek dominance of the territory became threatened. Through a series of treaties, the Creek Indians were pushed westward from river to river until February 1825. At a meeting with U.S. President James Monroe, they ceded all lands in Georgia to the State in exchange for the same number of acres in Mississippi and $400,000.
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Among the foremost Creek leaders was the chief of the Coweta tribe, born Tustunugee Hutkee in 1775. Also named William McIntosh after his father (a Scotsman in the British Army), he inherited high standing in the Wind Clan since his mother, Senoya, was an important Indian princess. Chief McIntosh gained rapid fame; assisting the United States in the War of 1812, he rose to the rank of Brigadier General. His allegiance to the U.S. forced him to reconcile differences of his dual heritage, and placed him at the head of the Creek Nation in their treaty negotiations with the U.S. and local governments. Understanding the futility of violent resistance to encroachment by white settlers, it was Chief McIntosh's aim to make the transition as smooth and safe as possible.
His goal was not shared by all Creeks. A fever for independence grew among the tribes causing disorder among the Creeks, and dissatisfaction with Chief McIntosh. Creek Indians hostile to the Treaty of 1825 held a general council, where they appealed to the U.S. Government to stop the survey of their lands in Georgia, condemned McIntosh's signing of the Treaty, and sentenced the Coweta Chief to death. On May 1 of that year, the order was carried out by the appointed executioner, a rival to Chief McIntosh named Menawa. Nonetheless, a new treaty was signed in Washington, DC the following year removing the Creeks from lands east of the Chattahoochee River. . . on less favorable terms.
See Also: The McIntosh Reserve (Carroll County)