National Register of Historic Places

Nequasee

Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina
Listed
November 26, 1980
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80004598

About this property

Nikwasi (Cherokee: ꮒꮖꮟ, romanized: Niquasi or Neequasee or Noquisiyi) which translates to "Star Place". Nikwasi is the site of the Cherokee town which is first found in colonial records in the early 18th century, but is much older. The town covered about 100 acres (40 ha) on the floodplain of the Little Tennessee River. Franklin, North Carolina, was later developed by European Americans around this site. Today, a platform mound, estimated to have been built about 1000 CE, is the only extant feature left of the Cherokee town. The mound site and a small area has been owned and preserved by Franklin since 1946. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as "Nequasee." The federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee, which is based at Qualla Boundary, has been working to re-acquire its traditional lands and sacred mounds in this region. In 2019 the town of Franklin transferred the deed for Nikwasi mound to the Nikwasi Initiative, a non-profit set up by the EBCI, as part of this effort.

Location

Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina

Categories

PREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINAL
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Questions about this property

When was Nequasee listed on the National Register?

Nequasee was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 26, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Nequasee?

Nequasee is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Nequasee?

The period of significance for Nequasee is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Nequasee?

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