Jackson County's Indian Reservations

This field on the shore of Lake Seminole north of Sneads has been farmed since it was first cleared by Native Americans more than 180 years ago. In around 1818 or 1819, a party of Creeks led by Econchatimico ("Red Ground King") moved to a new village site here on the Chattahoochee River after their town at present-day Neal's Landing was destroyed during the First Seminole War.

By 1823, they had managed to clear fields, build homes and settle in at the new location, about 10 miles north of Sneads. In the Treaty of Moultrie Creek, signed that year, the U.S. Government reserved a four square mile piece of land surrounding the new village for Econchatimico and his people. A second, smaller reservation was also established on the Apalachicola River near the present Jackson County Port Authority site for a second chief, Mulatto King, and his followers.

The rest of the land in Jackson County, however, was opened to settlement and the last few hundred Native Americans living there were confined to the reservations.

Econchatimico remained on his land until 1838 when, based on prior agreement, he and his followers were removed by U.S. Army troops commanded by future President, Colonel Zachary Taylor.

The reservation was immediately occupied by white settlers, who began farming the newly abandoned fields and the communities of Brown's Ferry, Port Jackson and Butler Landing eventually grew here. Most of the old reservation was flooded when Lake Seminole was created during the 1950s, but a few small portions remain above water level and can still be seen in the vicinity of the Apalachee Wildlife Management Area along River Road north of Sneads.

Jackson County in 1823

This map in the National Archives is one of the first known to have been drawn following the creation of Jackson County.

Although settlements had been established in the area by 1823, when the map was drawn, the only one shown is "Tocktechla" (or Tocktoethla), a Native American town occupied by the followers of Econchatimico. This village had been established in 1818 following the destruction of the chief's former town, Ekanachatte, by U.S. forces during the First Seminole War.

Tocktoethla, which roughly means "River Junction" when translated from the Creek language, was located on a site now inundated by Lake Seminole. It was adjacent to the later sites of Port Jackson and Butler Landing. The surrounding area today is part of the Apalachee Wildlife Management Area north of Sneads.

A couple of other features of importance are shown on the map in the modern Jackson County area. The "Forks of the Creek" at the head of the Chipola River are clearly visible, although they were drawn a bit larger than life by the mapmaker. Three important early trails are shown. Two of these connected Tocktoethla with the Chipola River, one by way of the Natural Bridge at today's Florida Caverns State Park and the second is what today is known as the "Fort Road," which leads across the modern sites of Two Egg and Greenwood before crossing the Chipola at Bellamy Bridge. The third is the "River Road," a pathway that has been in use for hundreds if not thousands of years. It leads up the west side of the Chattahoochee River. Portions of the original track can still be seen along the sides of County Road 271 (River Road).

The map also shows the Natural Bridge of the Chipola as well as another important early landmark, the "Rocky Mount" near the present site of Sneads. This feature was shown on maps as early as 1778. The "mount" today is known as Gorrie Hill and is located along the south border of Three Rivers State Park. Part is inside the park and part is on the adjoining private land.