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http://tennesseeoverhill.com/
The Tennessee Overhill is an area in three counties of Southeast Tennessee - McMinn, Polk and Monroe- so named because it was home to the Cherokee Towns that rested on the western slopes of the Appalachians Mountains overhill from the Lower Cherokee settlements.
Explore the land that was home to the Overhill Cherokee. Tucked into the mountains and river v alleys of southeast Tennessee, the Overhill offers outdoor adventure, museums, scenic backroads, historic sites and small towns with places to spend the night, eat and shop. There are modern motels, quaint bed & breakfasts, cabins and campgrounds.
The Tennessee Overhill offers its visitors rivers to follow and trails to explore in the Cherokee National Forest- by car, foot, horseback or boat. For those who love adventure, there?s whitewater rafting, rappelling, gold panning, hunting and fishing. And much more.
Outdoor recreation is just one offering of the Tennessee Overhill. Museums, historic sites and reenactments spin tales of Cherokee Indians, fur traders, settlers, miners, railroaders, textile workers and farmers-the people who came together to sculpt the land and history of the Tennessee Overhill. Many of the museums and attractions offer annual events that celebrate the culture and heritage of the region throughout the year as well, including quilt shows, bluegrass festivals and special exhibits.
The Tennessee Overhill also has two brochures which help trace the history and culture of the region. Titled AgriCulture in the Tennessee Overhill, this colorful brochure includes a map marked with suggested stops along the way to purchase local goods and offers a brief overview of the farming history of the region. The trail follows the backroads and highways of the Tennessee Overhill, sometimes winding alongside scenic rivers, sometimes traveling through pastoral farmlands, and sometimes exploring small towns. Furs to Factories: Exploring the Industrial Revolution in the Tennessee Overhill tells the story of the Industrial Revolution and how it played out in the Tennessee Overhill. This brochure presents brief overviews of the changes over time and suggests places to learn the rest of the story. The brochure directs visitors to living history museums, historic sites, and landscapes to examine how Cherokee Indians, European fur traders, farmers, loggers, copper miners, textile workers, and dam builders shaped this land and its lifeways.
The Tennessee Overhill region is known not only for its scenic beauty and rich history but also for traditional and contemporary art. While you're here, take home a piece of history or find that unique souvenir handcrafted by one of our local artists in the many antique shops and galleries.
You won't find high rises or glass and steel buildings in the Tennessee Overhill. Many of the points of interest lie along highways and backroads surrounded by streams, mountains and forests or found in the small towns of McMinn, Monroe and Polk County.
 Centuries ago, the Overhill Cherokee's planted household garden plots in their villages as well as tended the fields spread out along nearby creek and river bottoms. By the 1800s, after European settlement, the Overhill Cherokees were combining Western-European style farming techniques with their own methods.
Throughout the 1700s, Overhill Cherokee hunters and trappers traded thousands of furs and hides for imported manufactured goods. This led to fundamental changes in the way once agriculturally based Cherokee villages were organized. As markets opened, drovers pushed thousands of turkeys, geese, and ducks across the Unicoi Turnpike to sell and trade. Upon the turn of the twentieth century, farm products of importance were cotton and tobacco. Mules were taken as far as Atlanta by train or down to the courthouse square for auction attesting not only the importance of agriculture in the region, but also to its continuing reliance on preindustrial technologies until around World War II.
 With the twenty-first century quickly approaching, things have changed and yet stayed the same. The primary crops being grown in the Overhill today are forages (fields with grasses such as fescue and alfalfa) for livestock grazing, corn grown for silage, and tobacco as a cash crop. Forages have remained the most important to farmers both then and today.
Agritourism in the Tennessee Overhill contributes to the preservation of a rural way of life and the survival of agricultural practices. Conservation and sensitive management of the land are attracting consumers who appreciate the variety of landscapes and are enthusiastic buyers and spectators of local produce, livestock, and events. The consumer actively seeks out the farmer, not only for farm fresh produce but also for the experience and enjoyment of the rural landscape.
* Native Gardens: Ocoee Whitewater Center, Fort Loudoun State Historic Area and Sequoyah Birthplace Museum.
* Wineries: Savannah Oaks Winery, Orr Mountain Winery, Striker's Premium Winery.
* Corn Mazes: Mason?s Corn Maze, MaizeQuest at Guthrie Farms.
* Nurseries: Mousecreek Nursery, Sunshine Hollow, The Shops at Morgan Lane and Stone Cottage Shops and Gardens.
* Dairies: Mayfield Diary Visitor Center, Sweetwater Valley Cheese Farm.
* Foodways: Benton's Country Hams, Shultz Farm Foods There are many special events within the Overhill that celebrate the agricultural heritage of the region:
* Polk County Fair, Benton. Third week in September, 423-338-4502
* Polk County Ramp Tramp, Greasy Creek. Fourth weekend in April, 423-338-4503
* Mid-East Tennessee Regional Fair, Athens. First week in September, 423-745-6947.
* H Bar M Horse Auction, Athens. 423-745-7587.
For a free copy of AgriCulture or more information contact the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association
PO Box 143
Etowah, TN 3733
423-263-7232
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