Tellico Plains

Tellico Plains is a sweet little town in eastern Tennessee with some of the most beautiful views in the state. Tellico Plains, located in Monroe County, is home to 880 people as of 2010. This is only a 21-person increase since 2000. The town is situated on the banks of the historic Tellico River. It was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and after being displaced by European colonists, both the Muscogee and Cherokee settled there. The town is located in what was once known as Great Tellico. It belonged to the Cherokee tribe and was a thriving community in the early 1880s. As the Indian Removal Acts of the 1830s swept across the eastern nation, the land was later developed for farming.

The Tellico Iron and Manufacturing Company was established here, and much of the iron produced for the Confederacy was shipped south via Tennessee. Tellico Plains was a Babcock Lumber Company base, and there was even a minor gold rush in the late 1800s. Tellico Plains, located at the point where the Tellico River emerges from the Appalachians, has become a popular destination for many native Tennesseans. It's a non-touristy way to see the state in its natural, historic setting. Another popular attraction that draws visitors to the small town is the Cherohala Skyway. The Cherokee National Forest is well-known, and it is accessible from Tellico Plains.