John Ross Home

John Ross Home is a Georgia historical marker in Walker County, dedicated 1954.

On Spring Street just south of East Lake Avenue, on the left when traveling south in Rossville.

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This comfortable two-story log house was the home of Cherokee Chief John Ross from boyhood until he went west over the "Trail of Tears," losing his Indian wife enroute. Although only one-eighth Indian himself, Ross was the elected "Principal Chief" of the Cherokee Nation for 40 years and their advocate for justice for 57 years. He voluntarily chose exile with his people. In the war of 1812, Ross served with a regiment of Cherokees under Gen. Andrew Jackson against the Creek allies of the English. This house was built in 1797 by John McDonald, grandfather of John Ross.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1794 · Map of the Tennessee Government. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1794 · Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1796 · Map of The Tennassee (sic) Government. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1797 · Tennassee Government. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1816 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Map of The Tennassee (sic) Government, 1796, covering the location of John Ross Home, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Map of The Tennassee (sic) Government, 1796, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

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This historical marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program and was erected by the Georgia Historical Commission. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

John Ross Home

Historical maps covering this location

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