 The
next stop is the Hall of the Ancients which offers more detailed
historical information about the Indians and settlers. This
venue offers beautifully designed dioramas depicting more than
12,000 years of regional history, as well as interactive
computers with touch screens that are easily used by adults and
children alike.
 The
centerpiece of this room is a massive petroglyph, donated to
Reinhardt College. This ancient and mysterious carved rock was
found years ago on the Cline property in the Hickory Log area of
Cherokee County.
 The
many other artifacts displayed in this room are examples from four
large collections totaling more than 6,000 items from northwest
Georgia. These artifacts were donated to the Funk Heritage
Center from the collections of Margie and Tommy Dunn, Buck Cheeves, Hank Hitt and Jack Richardson. The more significant
pieces are exhibited chronologically and described in detail.
Starting with the Paleoindian era and moving through the
Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian and Historic periods, the Hall
of the Ancients depicts the lifestyles and tools of our
indigenous peoples.
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Cherokee Removal - The Trail of
Tears
New Area in the Hall of
Ancients
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 New
Area in the Hall of Ancients
Removal of Cherokee
Indians in 1830s
Thanks to the generosity of the Georgia Chapter of the
Trail of Tears Association and other anonymous donors, museum visitors
can see a timeline, maps and information about
the Cherokee Indian removal from Georgia during the 1830s. A section of the Hall
of Ancients documents the hardships they endured.
See For Yourself
Segments from a film, The Trail of Tears:
Cherokee Legacy, plays continually in the new
area to give visitors insight into the Cherokee peoples'
difficulties. Produced by Rich-Heape Films, Inc., the
film is narrated by James Earl Jones. In addition, you may
recognized other celebrity
voices:
actors James Garner and John Buttram, singer Crystal Gayle, former
Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder and well-known Cherokee actor
Wes Studi. A host of historical experts from major universities
also assisted in recounting the story.
Copies of this two-hour DVD are available
for purchase in the museum gift shop.
The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy
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For more information
7300 Reinhardt College Circle
Waleska, GA 30183-2981
(770) 720-5970 -
fax (770) 720-5965
Email:
heritagecenter@reinhardt.edu
Georgia's Official Frontier
and Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center
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