McIntosh Road

The McIntosh Road is a historic route in northern Alabama and Georgia. The original McIntosh Road, also called, in Alabama, the “Georgia Road,” led from Talladega, Alabama northeasterly, then running along the south side of the Choccolocco Valley and crossing the ridge which contains Cheaha Mountain at a pass some miles north of Cheaha Mountain, then running through the area of modern Hollis Crossroads and crossing the Tallapoosa River at an Okfuskee Village then continuing on in a southeasterly direction to the Chattahoochee River near modern Whitesburg, Georgia in Carroll County.

The road continues today along its original axis in Talladega and Calhoun County in Alabama and the original track virtually disappears as it enters the mountains of Cleburne County. It was named for a Creek Indian chief who was involved in its construction or improvement in the early 19th century, William McIntosh, who was half Creek and half Scottish. The road was also the route of invasion of Union regiments under General Croxton in April 1865. The eastern terminus was at McIntosh's Ferry near the McIntosh Plantation known as “Lochau” or “Lockchau Talofau” on Acorn Bluff. Today McIntosh Reserve Park in Carroll County, Georgia is located at the eastern end of what was once the McIntosh Road.

This road was perhaps 80 miles north of the Federal Road from Washington, through Georgia, to New Orleans. President Thomas Jefferson discussed the benefits of providing provisions and lodging for travelers with McIntosh during a meeting November 2, 1805, and McIntosh obviously listened.^[1]

References

1. ^ Benjamin W. Griffith, McIntosh and Weatherford, Creek Indian Leaders (University of Alabama Press, 1998) ISBN 0-8173-0340-5 (Page 60)