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''[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[ | ''[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Fort_Moore-Charleston_Trail|Fort Moore-Charleston Trail]]'' | ||
[[Image:Fort Moore-Charleston Trail.png|border|right|380px]]The '''Fort Moore-Charleston Trail''' connected the colonial [[South Carolina|South Carolina]] seaport of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,_South_Carolina Charleston] with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Town,_South_Carolina Fort Moore] guarding trade on the South Carolina side of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_River Savannah River] across from [[Georgia]]'s subsequent colony of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta,_Georgia Augusta]. Charleston was the largest European settlement in South Carolina, its capital, its main trade connection to Europe, on the [[King's Highway|King's Highway]], and the start of several other trails. Fort Moore was at the site of an Indian village that became the important fur trading center of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Town,_South_Carolina Savannah Town] (New Windsor Township after 1737), the primary pelt trading center with Charleston. Many trails converged on this town just below the fall line, and later on Augusta across the river in Georgia. The Fort Moore-Charleston Trail began in [[Charleston County, South Carolina]] and ended in [[Aiken County, South Carolina]]. The length of the trail was about 144 miles (232 km).<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.'' (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 849. ({{FHL|1049485|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 2002}}). [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50140092 WorldCat entry.]</ref> | [[Image:Fort Moore-Charleston Trail.png|border|right|380px]]The '''Fort Moore-Charleston Trail''' connected the colonial [[South Carolina|South Carolina]] seaport of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston,_South_Carolina Charleston] with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Town,_South_Carolina Fort Moore] guarding trade on the South Carolina side of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_River Savannah River] across from [[Georgia]]'s subsequent colony of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta,_Georgia Augusta]. Charleston was the largest European settlement in South Carolina, its capital, its main trade connection to Europe, on the [[King's Highway|King's Highway]], and the start of several other trails. In 1716 Fort Moore was completed at the site of an Indian village that became the important fur trading center of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Town,_South_Carolina Savannah Town] (New Windsor Township after 1737), the primary pelt trading center with Charleston. The Fort-Moore-Charleston trail likely opened at that time. Many other trails also converged on this town just below the fall line, and later on Augusta across the river in Georgia. The Fort Moore-Charleston Trail began in [[Charleston County, South Carolina]] and ended in [[Aiken County, South Carolina]]. The length of the trail was about 144 miles (232 km).<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.'' (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 849. ({{FHL|1049485|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 2002}}). [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50140092 WorldCat entry.]</ref> | ||
=== Historical Background === | === Historical Background === | ||
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In 1735 Augusta, Georgia was founded five miles upriver from Fort Moore. The citizens of Augusta did what they could to deflect the fur and skin trade from Savannah/New Windsor, South Carolina to their Georgia city and their seaport at Savannah, Georgia. In 1740 a ferry service began between the two rival towns of New Windsor and Augusta. However, New Windsor declined in importance. By 1765 the town had vanished and Fort Moore was closed. | In 1735 Augusta, Georgia was founded five miles upriver from Fort Moore. The citizens of Augusta did what they could to deflect the fur and skin trade from Savannah/New Windsor, South Carolina to their Georgia city and their seaport at Savannah, Georgia. In 1740 a ferry service began between the two rival towns of New Windsor and Augusta. However, New Windsor declined in importance. By 1765 the town had vanished and Fort Moore was closed. | ||
As roads developed in America settlers were attracted to nearby communities because the roads provided access to markets. They could sell their products at distant markets, and buy products made far away. If an ancestor settled near a road, you may be able to trace back to a place of origin on a connecting highway. | As roads developed in America settlers were attracted to nearby communities because the roads provided access to markets. They could sell their products at distant markets, and buy products made far away. If an ancestor settled near a road, you may be able to trace back to a place of origin on a connecting highway. | ||
=== Route === | === Route === | ||
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:*[[Great Indian Warpath]] pre-historic (overlapped by the [[Great Valley Road]] opened to European settlers about 1744). | :*[[Great Indian Warpath]] pre-historic (overlapped by the [[Great Valley Road]] opened to European settlers about 1744). | ||
:*[[ | :*[[Fort_Moore-Charleston_Trail|Fort Moore-Charleston Trail]] pre-historic | ||
:*[[Wilderness Road]] 1775 | :*[[Wilderness Road]] 1775 | ||
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:*Savannah River pre-historic | :*Savannah River pre-historic | ||
:*[[ | :*[[Fort_Moore-Charleston_Trail|Fort Moore-Charleston Trail]] pre-historic | ||
:*[[Lower Cherokee Traders' Path]] pre-historic | :*[[Lower Cherokee Traders' Path]] pre-historic | ||
:*[[Coosa-Tualoo Indian Warpath]] | :*[[Coosa-Tualoo Indian Warpath]] | ||
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:*[[Unicoi Trail]] or Turnpike 1813<ref>William E. Myer, ''Indian Trails of the Southeast''. (Nashville, Tenn.: Blue and Gray Press, 1971). ({{FHL|54678|item|disp=FHL Book 970.1 M992i}}) [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1523234 WorldCat entry].</ref> | :*[[Unicoi Trail]] or Turnpike 1813<ref>William E. Myer, ''Indian Trails of the Southeast''. (Nashville, Tenn.: Blue and Gray Press, 1971). ({{FHL|54678|item|disp=FHL Book 970.1 M992i}}) [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1523234 WorldCat entry].</ref> | ||
''Between'' those two ends the [[ | ''Between'' those two ends the [[Fort_Moore-Charleston_Trail|Fort Moore-Charleston Trail]] was also crossed by several other important routes: | ||
:*[[Jonesboro Road]] after 1769 crossed the Fort Moore-Charleston Trail near the Burke/McDowell county border, NC. The Jonesboro Road connected New Bern, North Carolina to Jonesborough and Knoxville, Tennessee. | :*[[Jonesboro Road]] after 1769 crossed the Fort Moore-Charleston Trail near the Burke/McDowell county border, NC. The Jonesboro Road connected New Bern, North Carolina to Jonesborough and Knoxville, Tennessee. | ||
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:*[[Old South Carolina State Road]] opened in 1747 and met the Fort Moore-Charleston Trail near the North Carolina/South Carolina border. The Old South Carolina State Road made its way to Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina. A branch of the Old State Road also may have followed the Fort Moore-Charleston Trail to Fort Prince George, Keowee, and Tugaloo.<br> | :*[[Old South Carolina State Road]] opened in 1747 and met the Fort Moore-Charleston Trail near the North Carolina/South Carolina border. The Old South Carolina State Road made its way to Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina. A branch of the Old State Road also may have followed the Fort Moore-Charleston Trail to Fort Prince George, Keowee, and Tugaloo.<br> | ||
'''Modern parallels.''' The modern roads that roughly match the old Fort Moore-Charleston Trail start in Toccoa, Georgia. From Toccoa, take US-123 east to Easley, South Carolina, then east on US-124 to Greenville. Go north on US-25 to SC-11. Turn east on SC-11 to Gowensville. Take SC-14 north to Landrum, then northwest on US-176/Asheville Highway to Tryon, North Carolina. Turn north and then east onto NC-108 to Rutherfordton. Take US-64 north to Lenoir, then go north on US-321 to Boone. Take US-421 to Mountain City, then turn northeast onto NC-91 to Damascus, Tennessee. From Damascus take US-58 northwest to I-81, the Interstate version of the Great Valley Road. | '''Modern parallels.''' The modern roads that roughly match the old Fort Moore-Charleston Trail start in Toccoa, Georgia. From Toccoa, take US-123 east to Easley, South Carolina, then east on US-124 to Greenville. Go north on US-25 to SC-11. Turn east on SC-11 to Gowensville. Take SC-14 north to Landrum, then northwest on US-176/Asheville Highway to Tryon, North Carolina. Turn north and then east onto NC-108 to Rutherfordton. Take US-64 north to Lenoir, then go north on US-321 to Boone. Take US-421 to Mountain City, then turn northeast onto NC-91 to Damascus, Tennessee. From Damascus take US-58 northwest to I-81, the Interstate version of the Great Valley Road. | ||
=== Settlers and Records === | === Settlers and Records === | ||