Clemson University no longer cures cheese in the tunnel, but you can view some brown bats andaccording to someghosts. Learn how to create your own. Legend states that Stumphouse Mountain received its name from moonshiners who hid and dropped off their illegal wares. It might be tempting to blow on by, but the money helps employ staff and maintain the park. It is 25 feet high, 17 feet wide, and stretches 1,617 feet long into the face of Stumphouse Mountain, and is the result of many failed attempts to make a railway tunnel through the mountain. If you want to get a closer look at the falls, an unofficial trail located on the right hand side of the observation deck leads to the base of the falls. Thanks to her warning, the settlers where able to repel the attack, and afterwards she and Allen Francis where married. This trail gives a fine view of the falls and its boulder-strewn creek course through the deeply incised valley below. Many! The 200-foot waterfall is tied to legend. She eludes her pursuers by leaping off a nearby waterfall. Many versions of the story exist, and historians don't know for sure if she was real." The falls are named for a Creek maiden who hid on one of the falls ledges to avoid capture during an Indian attack. Oconee County is located in the northwestern corner of Upstate SC and borders the mountains of NC and Northeast GA. In fact the parks department advises visitors not to take this path, but of you do, youll be treated to a spectacular view of the waterfall and a strenuous climb back up. The trail to Issaqueena Falls is wide, nicely maintained, and very short. Walhalla Fire Chief Brandon Burton said that . Issaqueena Falls Located in Oconee County, Issaqueena Falls is located at the end of a short walk through what is known as Stumphouse Tunnel, which was originally constructed in 1852 to connect Charleston to Knoxville but was halted because of a lack of money. The tribesmen, believing her to be dead, call off their chase and Issaqueena, who had landed on a ledge, was able to return safely to her family. Within 5 minutes you will have nice views of the falls via lookout platforms situated along the trail. into the face of Stumphouse Mountain, and is the result of many failed attempts to make a railway tunnel through the mountain. I came here to see if they were closed also. At some point, Issaqueena learned of a plan by her adopted father to attack the settlers at Cambridge. Many families, day trippers, and novice hikers make their way to view the Stumphouse Tunnel and beautiful Issaqueena Falls located on Cane Creek near Walhalla, South Carolina, close to where Georgia, North, and South Carolina all meet. Just a short distance away, there is a chance to get an excellent view of the whole setting. Another resource is a book entitled Forgotten Tales of South Carolina by Sherman Carmichael. |Sitemap. There are several iterations of the Issaqueena legend, though they all generally follow the same format. Some areas can only be accessed by boat, making rescues even more arduous. You will see signs (pictured here) and need to turn again to reach parking areas. He died at GHS at 6:15 p.m. from a closed head injury, Addis said.On Saturday, a woman was critically injured after slipping at Issaqueena Falls.Oconee County Emergency Services officials said the woman fell about 20 feet at the falls trailhead around 5 p.m.Officials said rescuers were able to airlift the woman to Greenville Memorial Hospital a little more than an hour after she fell.She was in critical but stable condition at the trauma center Sunday night. Stumphouse Mountain is also reported to be a sacred place for the Cherokee tribe and is the resting place of many of its people, who are no longer at rest due to the many attempts to tunnel through the mountain, repeatedly disrupting the countryside and disturbing the rest of any resident spirits. Issaqueena Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls in South Carolina to visit. 47 miles) and Todd's Creek (approx. They chased her to what is now Issaqueena Falls where she pretended to plunge to her death, but actually hid on a ledge under the fall. Issaqueena is her Choctaw or true name, while Cateechee or Kitichee is considered to be her name while living with the Cherokee. Walter Gassaway died of a heart attack on June 4, 1930. [6] Most of the estate was sold for house lots, and the mansion was converted into rental apartments. Man dies after lake trail fall; Woman critically injured in separate fall. Issaqueena Falls is an attraction in the same park as Stumphouse Tunnel. The park offers family-friendly activities and amenities, including a covered bridge over a creek, an eerie Civil War-era tunnel, dual-use hiking/mountain biking trails, picnic areas, and plenty of nature! Most versions of the legend say that Issaqueena, who is occasionally called Cateechee, fell in love with a white settler, but learned that her tribe was planning a surprise attack on a white encampment. They were pursued, however, and were split up when Allan was able to hide at the bottom of the falls, where he waited with his canoe. Knowing that the Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in the waterfalls, she pretended to leap to her death. She stole a horse and rode the ninety-six miles from Keowee in order to warn Allen and the other settlers of the impending attack. They found a makeshift shelter in a hollow stump near the location of todays Stumphouse Mountain. Issaqueena Falls. See all photos from Jamarcus T. for Issaqueena Falls Richard R. Elite 2022 Suwanee, GA 5000 1503 24670 2/3/2019 10 photos Beautiful waterfall and super short hike! Issaqueena Falls. The Falls Park Guide and Activity Book (PDF) is a self-guided tour of Falls Park. She hid on the ledge below the top of the waterfall where she remained until it was safe to rejoin her family. Issaqueena Falls Trail Activities: t Walk Hike Length: 0.4 miles Type: Round Trip Surface: Natural, Boardwalk Difficulty: Easy Trail Features: t Waterfall Parking Pets No Fee No Camping Summary: A well-maintained trail leads from the parking area to a platform for viewing this 100-foot cascade of Cane Creek. There is a rough trail next to the lowest platform, which leads to the base of the falls. Open full screen to view more. 4.) Her dramatic escape began the legend of Issaqueena Falls. The falls are named after the legend of Issaqueena, a Native American woman who pretended to go over the falls to escape persecution after she warned a nearby fort of an impending attack from her tribe. Other versions of the story introduced Issaqueenas lover as a silversmith named David Francis, who took shelter with Issaqueena in a hollow tree near the present-day Stumphouse Mountain to escape the Cherokee after her betrayal. After leaping off of the falls, Issaqueena and David relocated together to Alabama. OCONEE CO., S.C. (WSPA) - A 12-year-old was injured after falling near the falls at Issaqueena Falls Saturday, according to Walhalla Fire Department. Though there is no evidence that Issaqueena was ever a real person, it is clear from the sheer number of locations named after this story that it has been a pillar of upstate folklore for decades. During her ride, she named the places she passed - such as Mile Creek, Six Mile, Twelve Mile, and Eighteen Mile - until she finally reached the threatened settlement now known as Ninety Six. Stumphouse Mountain is also reported to be a sacred place for the Cherokee tribe and is the resting place of many of its people, who are no longer at rest due to the many attempts to tunnel through the mountain, repeatedly disrupting the countryside and disturbing the rest of any resident spirits. WE ARE TOLD THE 12 YREA OLD MAY HAVE A FRACTURED LEG. Issaqueena Falls resides in the Sumter National Forest near Walhalla, South Carolina. You may want to drop off anyone in your group with limited mobility, then park in the lot on the left side (this wont set you back much as it is a short walk between parking areas). Issaqueena Falls Issaqueena Falls has a similar story as Connestee Falls south of Brevard, NC. Mrs. Gassaway used the mansion itself for entertaining, including card parties and "entertainments in the music room and ballroom", but she also supervised the 110-acre estate that included a working farm and dairy. They settled down in Ninety-Six and began to plan their lives together, but their story wasnt over yet. It's an easy 5-minute walk to viewing platforms where you can view the beautiful waterfall named for a Creek maiden who hid on one of the falls' ledges to avoid capture during an Indian attack. Legend states that Stumphouse Mountain received its name from moonshiners who hid and dropped off their illegal wares inside tree stumps, or was named after stories from the Cherokee Native Americans, namely a story involving a Native American maiden, Issaqueena or Cateechee, and her lover, whom well talk about today. The waterfall is named after the Creek maiden named Issaqueena who is said to have used the fall's ledges to hide or get out of sight from the Cherokee warriors. LENGTH 0.2 MILES. In each case, the falls are named after an Indian maiden who allegedly jumped from the falls. of the Stumphouse Tunnel, and there are unexplained paranormal activities as a result. 2.) She hid on the ledge below the top of the waterfall where she remained until it was safe to rejoin her family. You will also be closer to the entrance to Stumphouse Tunnel, which is up the hill from the picnic pavilion. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WYFF-TV. The best and most agreed-upon version of the tale has her leading them to Issaqueena Falls, where she cleverly made them believe she jumped to her death. The landmarks of Mile Creek, Six Mile town (and mountain), Twelve Mile River, Eighteen Mile Creek, Three and Twenty Creek, Six and Twenty Creek, and Ninety Six were supposedly named for their proximity from the area of a trading post (perhaps the same post as the Cherokee settlement of Keowee that was located near present-day Clemson University) and later location of Fort Prince George. A legend accompanies the waterfall which tells the story of a Native American woman who betrays her tribe to protect a white settlement and then fakes her death at the falls. As the first written accounts come over 100 years after the events depicted, you can imagine that many facts have been changed and embellished over the years. A 12-year-old child was rescued after falling near Issaqueena Falls in Oconee County on Saturday, according to the Walhalla Fire Department. They are named after the Native American woman who jumped off of them. This map was created by a user. For the purposes and clarity of this telling, we will use Cateechee primarily as her name, as it is commonly used in the references themselves. Issaqueena Falls is one of Oconee County's most popular destinations and is accessible from inside Stumphouse Park. Views of Isaqueena Falls near Mountain Rest, South Carolina. Open full screen to view more . by Reverend Daniel, Captain James Francis and his sons, Allan and Henry, created a trading post with the Cherokee in 1750 in the area of todays town of Ninety Six, located in Greenwood County, South Carolina. Not only are many trails, churches, neighborhoods, and natural landmarks named either "Issaqueena" or "Cateechee.". Reader's Digest searched around the country to find the most gorgeous waterfalls around, compiling a list of the top spot to visit in each state where you can enjoy the scenic views and relaxing atmosphere conjured by the flowing streams. A legend has grown up around this elegant hundred foot waterfall near Walhalla in Oconee County South Carolina. The town and area was then known as Cambridge. Copyright 2023 Visit Oconee SC. Both the fort and the Cherokee town of Keowee are now submerged under man-made lakes. In the winter months, youll be able to get a pretty good view of the falls from the platform. They all lived happily ever after. They are always facing the falls and swimming against the flow of the creek, so Id like to think that they embody the spirits of the Cherokee who pursued Issaqueena and Francis, still waiting in vain to claim her body from the falls. Oconee County is located in the northwestern corner of Upstate SC and borders the mountains of NC and Northeast GA. For those who spend the majority of their time in the midland or coastal regions of South Carolina, it may come as a surprise to learn that the Palmetto State is home to hundreds of waterfalls. View of Issaqueena Falls from the observation deck. You can read more about this on a sign near the trail (photo below). Her identity has not been released.Oconee County Emergency Services officials said they respond to at least one call a week in the park areas during the summer, and most are difficult to reach. Upstate Outdoor Adventurer. Unfortunately it does display permanently closed if you search on Apple Mapsbut that is not correct. From Walhalla drive west on SC 28 for 6.9 miles and turn right into Stumphouse Tunnel Park. Archives & Manuscripts Collection Guides Search within It is possible to walk down to the bottom of the waterfall. He kidnapped the two lovers and kept them as slaves for two long years, but saw to it that Allan Francis learned the ways of the Cherokee warriors. The Stumphouse Tunnel is located off of Stumphouse Tunnel Road near Walhalla and Mountain Rest, South Carolina. Issaqueena falls, Ive seen one or two poisonous copperheads lurking at the bottom. I do not recommend anyone jump off of themthey are nearly 100 feet tall, and people have died by slipping off the edge. Two of the most interesting stops in the South Carolina Upstate are just a few feet apart. After the final failed attempt, a professor in the dairy department at nearby Clemson University (known as Clemson A&M College at the time) proposed using the tunnel to cure blue cheese, due to its stable and ideal temperature and humidity properties. Oconee County Emergency Services officials said the woman fell about 20 feet at the fall's trailhead around 5. Stumphouse Park is maintained by the City of Walhalla. This is not a recommended hike for people with small children, dogs, or mobility issues. It is rumored that at least ten workers died during the dynamiting and construction of the Stumphouse Tunnel, and there are unexplained paranormal activities as a result. Unless otherwise noted all photos are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Sometimes it takes a boat. The legend surrounding Issaqueena Falls tells of a Cherokee maiden who jumped from the top of the waterfall with her lover, an Oconee warrior. This booklet is packed with fun activities, puzzles, and educational information. [8], "Walter Gassaway Victim of Short Illness at Home,", Sharon Todd, "Gassaway Mansion Still Empty,", Alyce Atkinson, "Gassaway Mansion: 'Something Magnificent,'", U.S. National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Isaqueena&oldid=1119548002, This page was last edited on 2 November 2022, at 04:17. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. , or was named after stories from the Cherokee Native Americans, namely a story involving a Native American maiden, Issaqueena or Cateechee, and her lover, whom well talk about today. 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