« Early Winter Weather in Big Canoe | Main | Respectable Birds Ready to Attack Grenadiers of the British Guard! Wild Turkeys in the North Georgia Mountain Community of Big Canoe »
Bent Trees, A Link to the Past in Big Canoe
By Karin Elliott | December 19, 2007
Prior to moving to the North Georgia mountain community of Big Canoe, I had never heard of Bent Trees. People also refer to them as Boundary Trees, Trail Trees, and other names, but they all refer to trees marked or bent by Native Americans. The area around Big Canoe was mostly inhabited by Cherokee Indians, and these marker trees were supposed to have carried some degree of significance to these native people.
Many artifacts from the Cherokees are scattered around the lanscape here in Big Canoe, but I find these trees the most interesting. I suppose the fact that these trees were touched by human hands hundreds of years ago and endowed with special meaning is fascinating. The fact that I can still see and touch these trees is amazing!
There is some debate over the exact meaning of the trees, and it seems likely the trees may have many different meanings. While doing some research on hiking areas and wilderness areas close to Big Canoe, I was looking at the web site for the Mountain Stewards. Incidentally, this is a great site for info on hiking and wilderness areas in North Georgia. They have recently initiated a blog focusing on Trail Trees, and it is full of really interesting information on this subject.
I suppose I feel fortunate to live in an area where I get to witness the beauty of nature on a daily basis. When our family lived in the ‘burbs of metro Atlanta, much of this beauty was removed from the landscape. Much of what “used to be” is still here in Big Canoe, and the Trail Trees are just one part of the sum that makes the whole such an incredible place to live.
Topics: All Posts, Amenities and Activities, Big Canoe Real Estate |
