Cullasaja River

rdf:langString Cullasaja River

rdf:langString Cullasaja River

rdf:langString Cullasaja River

rdf:langString about 1 mile south of Cowee Gap

rdf:langString Gold Mine Branch

rdf:langString Laurel Branch

rdf:langString Bryson Branch

rdf:langString Crow Creek

rdf:langString Mashburn Branch

rdf:langString Monger Creek

rdf:langString Nickajack Creek

rdf:langString Peeks Creek

rdf:langString Saltbrook Branch

rdf:langString Scott Branch

rdf:langString Stephens Creek

rdf:langString Stonefield Branch

rdf:langString Turtle Pond Creek

rdf:langString Big Creek

rdf:langString Long Branch

rdf:langString Arnold Creek

rdf:langString Brush Creek

rdf:langString Walnut Creek

rdf:langString Ammons Branch

rdf:langString Crows Branch

rdf:langString Ellijay Creek

rdf:langString Lickskillet Branch

rdf:langString Short Creek

rdf:langString Skitty Creek

rdf:langString Mirror Lake

rdf:langString Lake Sequoyah

rdf:langString Ravenel Lake

rdf:langString Dry Falls on the upper Cullasaja

rdf:langString USA North Carolina

rdf:langString Location of Cullasaja River mouth

rdf:langString divide between Cullasaja River and Tuckasegee River

rdf:langString North Carolina

rdf:langString Macon

rdf:langString Country

rdf:langString State

rdf:langString County

rdf:langString northwest

rdf:langString The Cullasaja River (/ˌkuːləˈseɪdʒə/) is a short river located entirely in Macon County, North Carolina. It is a tributary of the Little Tennessee River into which it flows near the county seat of Franklin. (The Little Tennessee feeds the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi rivers.) The Cullasaja originates in the southeast, near Highlands, the county's only other town. It flows from manmade Lake Sequoyah, which is fed by Mirror Lake and other creeks and streams originating on the western side of the Eastern Continental Divide, which runs through the east side of Highlands. A two-lane highway called Mountain Waters Scenic Byway, which is the combined route of U.S. 64 and NC 28, runs through the Cullasaja Gorge. It is mostly protected as part of the Nantahala National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service has designated this as a National Scenic Byway because of the river and its numerous waterfalls, including: * Bridal Veil Falls, on a tributary creek * Dry Falls, which visitors can walk behind without getting wet * Quarry Falls, also known as Bust-Yer-Butt Falls * Cullasaja Falls, the major cascade of falls The road is known as Franklin Road near Highlands, and Highlands Road near Franklin. Two townships are located in the valley below the gorge: Sugarfork and Ellijay. The Cullasaja's largest tributary is most likely Buck Creek. The most well-known is Peek's Creek, where a catastrophic flood and mudslide occurred in September 2004. Several historic Cherokee towns were located along the Cullasaja River. The town of Ellijay was on Ellijay Creek, a tributary of Cullasaja River. Several Cherokee towns were called Kulsetsiyi (or Sugartown), abbreviated Kulsetsi, including one on the Keowee River in South Carolina, and one on the Cullasaja River near Ellijay Creek. "Cullasaja" is a variant spelling of the Cherokee town name "Kulsetsi". This Cherokee town's name is the origin of the name "Sugar Fork". One of the largest and most important Cherokee towns, known as Nikwasi, or Nucassee, was located at the confluence of the Cullasaja River and the Little Tennessee River. The town of Franklin developed on the former site of Nikwasi town. What remains of the historic town is an earthwork platform mound, believed to have been built about 1000CE during the South Appalachian Mississippian culture period. After the Cherokee were forced to cede their land here, the mound and related site were privately owned for decades. In 1946 the town of Franklin bought the site to preserve the mound. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, based on Qualla Boundary, is the only federally recognized tribe in North Carolina. It negotiated with Franklin and set up a non-profit, Nikwasi Initiative, to take over maintenance and control of the mound and small related site. The tribe, town and a regional non-profit , are working to create a cultural corridor along the Little Tennessee River. In 2020 Mainspring bought the Watauga Mound and part of Watauga Town site, another ancient Cherokee site, for transfer to the EBCI. These two sites, together with Kituwa, which the EBCI owns again, will be linked for education and interpretation in this area.

rdf:langString at mouth with Little Tennessee River

rdf:langString Little Tennessee River

rdf:langString Little Tennessee River

rdf:langString Franklin, North Carolina

rdf:langString Tributary to Little Tennessee River

rdf:langString Little Tennessee River