Have you seen one of the bent trees? While they may look odd, they are part of history.
Trail trees have been intentionally bent to grow low and parallel to the ground before rising upward again. Researchers believe the Cherokee Indians shaped trees into “trail trees” to point out trails, water, and other resources they needed.
It’s cool when you find one. I recently showed a buyer client what would become their future dream home around Keowee. As we walked the property, we spotted a bent tree in the backyard, and I shared the trail tree history. They loved the house and felt like the tree marker was another sign they were home.
The tree pictured can be easily found in the Port Santorini neighborhood on the way to South Cove Park, and it is one of many trail trees you may stumble upon in our area. That’s because the greatest concentration of trail trees mapped to date are along the borders where Georgia and North and South Carolina meet. And what is Oconee County today was once the center of Cherokee country in South Carolina.
Sometimes called “bent trees,” “marker trees,” or “signal trees,” they are about two hundred-year-old (or more) surviving trail trees. Many are dying due to disease, weather, urbanization, and age. That’s why organized groups, such as the Lake and Hills Garden Club, work to identify, catalog, educate, and encourage preservation before they’re lost forever. I enjoyed this quick and fascinating read, "Before GPS: Cherokee Indian Trail Trees," authored by club member Laurie Flanagan.
So, if one day I have the pleasure of helping you find your dream home, maybe we’ll stumble across one, just waiting to point you to your dream home.
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