Pickens in Pickens County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Beliefs Set in Stone
Photographed by Brian Scott, March 27, 2010
1. Beliefs Set in Stone Marker
To a giant, Table Rock could be exactly what its name suggests -- a 3,124'-high table made of granite. To eat at this table, the giant would need a seat -- Stool Mountain at 2,600' served this purpose.
This is how the Cherokee saw the memorable landscape before you. Their beliefs, shaped by their environment, featured an enormous spirit who loomed over this mountain range, his shadow forming the bluish haze. Sha-ka-na-ga, meaning "Great Blue Hills of God," was the name given this place.
Settlers, influenced by the story of the gigantic chieftain dining here, preserved the legend when naming the landmarks.
Erected by South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Natural Features • Notable Places.
Location. 35° 2.092′ N, 82° 41.567′ W. Marker is in Pickens, South Carolina, in Pickens County. It is on Table Rock State Park Road, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located on the grounds of Table Rock State Park, in a location known as the Overlook. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pickens SC 29671, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Carolina’s and pstate, in the Foothills, in the Golden Corner. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within 4 miles
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Table Rock State Park. Table Rock State Park is a 3,083-acre (12.48 km2) park at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Pickens County, South Carolina. (Submitted on April 29, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
2. Table Rock State Park Historic District. Table Rock State Park Historic District is significant for its cultural and social relationship to the history and prehistory of the area within the state park boundaries and is also architecturally significant as an example of the construction of a state park by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). (Submitted on April 29, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Photographed by Brian Scott, March 27, 2010
2. Beliefs Set in Stone Marker
Magazine articles from the 1840s are the earliest written sources of the Cherokee legend about this site. The 19th-century lithograph at right shows the chieftain's "table" and "stool" from the northeast side of the mountain.
Photographed by Brian Scott, March 27, 2010
3. Beliefs Set in Stone Marker
Table Rock became a tourist destination in the early 1800s. Its fame spread via word of mouth and postcards like this one from the 1930s.
Photographed by Brian Scott, March 27, 2010
4. Beliefs Set in Stone Marker
Photographed by Brian Scott, March 27, 2010
5. Beliefs Set in Stone Marker
Table Rock and Stool Mountain in Background
Table Rock and Stool Mountain in Background
Photographed by Brian Scott, March 27, 2010
6. Table Rock and Stool Mountain
Credits. This page was last revised on November 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,878 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 29, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
