Tellico Blockhouse

Tellico Blockhouse. The Tellico Blockhouse was a United States fortification constructed in 1794 and in use through 1807. Primarily, The Tellico Blockhouse served as a check against white settlement deeper into Cherokee lands. It also served as home to the Tellico Factory, a trading post and diplomatic station for interactions between the Cherokee and Federal Government., The United States Army constructed the site during very uncertain times. Addressing fears over European meddling in the West, officials hoped that the blockhouse might foster peaceful ties with the Cherokee, and curtail the rampant violence of the frontier. The garrison of American soldiers acted as a symbol of military power, and the government's intent to keep order between newly arrived settlers and native people. Additionally, the Tellico Factory located inside the fort brought spinning wheels, cottonseed, looms, and agricultural training to the Cherokee. These served to lighten stresses on local ecosystems caused by the fur trade, and encourage the Cherokee to adopt lifestyles similar to their neighbors., By 1807, few Cherokee lived in the Little Tennessee River Valley. As a result, the army relocated the garrison to the Hiwassee River. A few soldiers remained at the Blockhouse through December 1811, but official gatherings took place elsewhere.