Chiaha

Chiaha is a Tennessee historical marker in Marion County.

Marion Co, TN 2 (US 41), east of junction 2/TN 27

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To the south, in the Tennessee River, is Burns' Island, formerly known as Lowery's Island. Here, at the Creek town of Chiaha, DeSoto camped June 5 to 28, 1540, while two scouts were sent north 30 leagues in search of gold. Here the Spaniards first found fenced villages. When they left, 500 carriers were furnished them.

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

1796 · Map of The Tennassee (sic) Government. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1856 · Alabama. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1936 · South Pittsburg, Tennessee (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)
1942 · South Pittsburg, Tennessee (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)
1943 · South Pittsburg, Tennessee (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

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

From one family's 77-marker roster

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The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

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Marker text and location from the Tennessee Historical Commission, as the Commission publishes them on its marker map.

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