Nottely River facts for kids

The Nottely River is a cool river in the United States. It starts way up in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia. The river flows for about 51 miles (82 km) until it reaches the Hiwassee Reservoir in North Carolina. A dam on the Nottely River in Georgia created a big lake called Lake Nottely. A smaller stream called Arkaqua Creek flows into the Nottely River.

Quick facts for kids Nottely River
The Hiwassee drainage basin, which includes the Nottely River, located within the upper Tennessee drainage basin
Show map of North Carolina Show map of the United States Location of Nottely River mouth
Other name(s)	Tributary to Hiwassee River
Country	United States
State	North Carolina Georgia
County	Union (GA) Cherokee (NC)
Physical characteristics
Main source	confluence of Right Fork and Left Fork about 1.5 miles northeast of Double Top Mountain 2,398 ft (731 m) 34°44′59″N 083°50′47″W / 34.74972°N 83.84639°W / 34.74972; -83.84639
River mouth	Hiawassee River Hiawassee Lake 1,525 ft (465 m) 35°05′23″N 084°04′35″W / 35.08972°N 84.07639°W / 35.08972; -84.07639
Length	49.12 mi (79.05 km)
Basin features
Progression	generally north
River system	Hiawassee River
Basin size	287.93 square miles (745.7 km2)
Tributaries	Left: Helton Creek, Chestnut Cove, Spiva Branch, Allison Branch, Wolf Creek, Fortenberry Creek, Morgan Branch, Anderson Creek, Kiutuestia Creek, Brackett Creek, Wash Branch, Youngcane Creek, Jack Creek, Camp Creek, Poteete Creek, Dooley Creek, Butler Creek, Owenby Creek, Rapier Mill Creek, Dickey Branch, Walker Mill Creek, Laurel Branch Right: Left Fork, Noah Branch, Polly Branch, Big Branch, Stink Creek, Town Creek, Arkaqua Creek, Atkins Creek, Lawrence Branch, Fields Branch, Laurel Branch, Bony Branch, Butternut Creek, Wellburn Creek, Stephens Branch, Casteel Branch, Ivylog Creek, Chastain Branch, Conley Creek, Thomas Branch, Moccasin Creek, Cobb Creek, Rominger Creek, Cane Creek, Sneed Branch
Waterbodies	Nottely Lake, Hiawassee Lake
Bridges	Old Bald Mountain Road, NC 180, Litton Lane, US 120 (Gainesville Highway), Spiva Bridge Way, Jimmy Nicholson Road, Hutson Road, Lower Owltown Road, Wiles Bridge Road, Blue Ridge Highway, US 76-NC 515, Pat Cowell Road, NC 325, Tate Road, Cook Bridge Road, Raper Road, NC 60, US 64

Other Names for the Nottely River

Did you know the Nottely River has been called by another name?

• It was once known as the Notley River.

A Look at Early History Along the Nottely River

The area around the Nottely River has a long and interesting history. For a long time, Native American groups lived here. These groups were connected to the modern-day Muskogean tribes. Early maps from Europe didn't show much detail, but they suggested the area was home to a mountain group of the Apalachee people.

It's also possible that groups related to the Creek and Yuchi Indians lived in the Nottely River area in the past. When the Cherokees later moved into the region, many of their village names came from the Muskogee (Creek) language. However, not many people lived here because it was so close to Creek Indian lands.

What Does "Nottely" Mean?

The exact meaning of the word "Nottely" isn't fully known. But it might come from a Hitchiti-Creek word, Note-le. This word means "People on the Other Side."

Conflicts Between Native American Groups

In 1715, the Cherokees invited leaders from many Creek areas to a meeting. This meeting happened in a town called Tugaloo. Sadly, the Cherokee leaders killed all the Creek leaders while they were sleeping. This terrible event started a 40-year war between the Creeks and the Cherokees.

At first, all the Creek groups were involved. But only the Kowita branch of the Creeks kept fighting. By the 1750s, the Kowita Creeks had become very strong in battle. They often defeated the Cherokees. One Creek war leader even said he sent women and boys to fight and still captured a Cherokee town!

By 1755, the Kowita Creeks had destroyed all the Cherokee towns and villages in the Nottely and Hiwassee Valleys. A map from 1755 by John Mitchell even called the whole area "Deserted Cherokee settlement."

Changes in Land and People

In 1763, the Cherokees lost a lot of their land in North Carolina. This happened because they changed sides during the French and Indian War. The Creeks agreed to give back some land in North Carolina and Georgia. In return, they got most of the land in Alabama from the British.

Some small Cherokee settlements, like Choestoe and Chota, returned to the Nottely River area. But in 1838, the Cherokees were forced to leave Georgia. This sad event is known as the Trail of Tears, and they were moved to what is now Oklahoma.

There's a historical marker near the Nottely River that talks about a huge battle in 1755. This battle happened on Blood Mountain between the Cherokees and the Creeks. The Cherokees won, gaining control of all of northern Georgia.

Modern Times in the Nottely River Basin

After the Cherokees left, new settlers slowly moved into the Nottely Basin. Many of these new residents came from Scotland or Ulster. The area was quite isolated from the rest of Georgia for a long time. It wasn't until the 1920s that the first paved roads were built.

In the early 2000s, better highways led to a big increase in people moving there. Many new residents came from Florida after some strong hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast. The Nottely River Basin is still a place where a lot of farming happens. It's known for its delicious sorghum syrup and different kinds of vegetables.