Tellico Blockhouse

On the same mid-January 2014  day we visited Fort Loudoun, I also visited the ruins of the Tellico Blockhouse across the Little Tennessee River.  This combination of fort and trading post was in use by the United States during a critical period from 1794 until 1807.  While not a factory in modern usage, the Tellico Factory in the blockhouse was used as a training center in an attempt to teach western practices to the Cherokee.  This included planting cotton along the Little Tennessee River and coercing the Cherokee into a more agrarian lifestyle by providing spinning wheels and looms.  Even though the blockhouse has not been reconstructed, the ruins have been restored and stabilized.  Tellico Blockhouse is part of the Fort Loudoun State Historic Area and is managed in conjunction with the Fort Loudoun State Historic Park.

A paved road winds down from the parking area to the blockhouse

An overview of the ruins

The reconstructed Fort Loudoun is visible across the Little Tennessee River

Palisade to the north of the main gate

The main gate

Ruins to the north of the main gate

The well near the northwest corner of the blockhouse

Ruins along the north side of the blockhouse near Ninemile Creek

The southeast corner of the blockhouse including the Tellico Factory area inside the palisade fence

Ruins along the southern edge of the blockhouse including two hearths

Tellico Lake and the Appalachian Mountains

No admission fee is charged to visit the blockhouse.

The Fort Loudoun Association website is http://fortloudoun.com/.
The park website is http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/fort-loudoun.