Tanasi Memorial

Today we are visiting the Tanasi Memorial in Monroe County, TN.

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About Tanasi

The origin of Tanasi is unknown, but the earliest record of the settlement dates back to the early 18th century.

From 1721 - 1730, Tanasi served as the “Capital of the Cherokee Nation”.

In the mid-18th century, Tanasi was absorbed by the nearby town of Chota.

The actual settlement of Tanasi is about 300 yards out from the memorial. In 1979, both Tanasi and Chota were submerged by the Tellico Reservoir, after the completion of a dam on the Little Tennessee River.

In 1989, the Tennessee Historical Commission Foundation and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) erected the Tanasi Memorial monument.

You may have noticed that Tanasi sounds a lot like Tennessee, that’s because the village was the namesake for the state. Tennessee became the United States of America’s 16th state on June 1, 1796.

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Location

Before we talk about the memorial, let me tell you how to get there.

To get to the Tanasi Memorial, we’ll start at the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum (I highly recommend visiting here as well).

It’s roughly a 12 mile drive, and I do recommend getting gas and using the bathroom beforehand.

The address to the museum is:

576 HWY 360

Vonore, TN 37885

With the museum on your right, you’ll drive down HWY 360 about 5.9 miles.

Then you’ll reach a split between HWY 360 and Citico Rd. Keep to the left and go down Citico Rd. In 4.9 miles, turn left onto Bacon Ferry Rd.

In 0.7 miles, the Tanasi Memorial will be on your left.

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Tanasi Memorial

The memorial is absolutely beautiful! The view of the river and the quiet woods that surround you make for a great place to relax and reflect.

The monument has both the “Seal of the Cherokee Nation” and “The Great Seal of the State of Tennessee” inscribed on the front.

Inscribed on the top reads:

Tanasi

Capital of the Cherokee Nation

1721-1730

Origin for the name of the state of Tennessee

The site of the former town of Tanasi, now underwater, is located about 300 yards west of this marker. Tanasi attained political prominence in 1721 when its civil chief was elected the first "Emperor of the Cherokee Nation". About the same time, the town name was also applied to the river on which it was located. During the mid-18th century, Tanasi became overshadowed and eventually absorbed by the adjacent town of Chota, which was to the immediate north. The first recorded spelling of Tennessee as it is today occurred on Lt. Henry Timberlake's map of 1762. In 1796, the name Tennessee was selected from among several as most appropriate for the nation's 16th state. Therefore, symbolized by this monument , those who reside in this beautiful state are forever linked to its Cherokee heritage.

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More Information

For more information on the Tanasi settlement and the Cherokee Nation, visit the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. The museum houses artifacts from many of the local settlements, and offers a variety of books and video documentaries about the Cherokee Nation in East Tennessee.