Archaeological Survey of the Old Federal Road in Alabama

of Little Prince and Opothle Yoholo, surrounded McIntosh’s home and carried out the resolution passedat Pole Cat Springs, killing William McIntosh and Coweta chief Etome Tustunnuggee. 8Captain Walker operated a tavern at Pole Cat Springs from about 1816 until at least 1830. Walkerwas married to one of Big Warrior’s daughters, as was Kendall Lewis, who operated a tavern at FortBainbridge. According to the 1805 treaty terms, the “houses of entertainment” were under the control ofthe Creek Nation. Big Warrior, a man of prominence in the Creek Nation, ensured his son-in-laws keptprofitable taverns at advantageous locations along the Old Federal Road. The tavern was most likely adogtrot style structure, common to the time. Travelers spoke favorably of the tavern and the hospitality ofthe Captain.Walker’s Tavern was visited by many prominent travelers including: Bernard, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, James Stuart, Basil Hall, and Anne Royall. In 1826 Bernard wrote that at Walker’sTavern his party “found a good reception in a large log-house,” with each of them having their ownrooms. 9 Ann Royall visited the tavern in 1830 and remarked, “We breakfasted at the house of Capt.Walker…but I was sorry not to find the Captain at home. He keeps a good house and attentiveservants.” 10 In the same year James Stuart enjoyed “good bread and an excellent breakfast,” at Walker’sTavern. 11 The exact year Walker’s Tavern closed is not known, but it was most likely in the early 1830s.By the middle of the decade, Pole Cat Springs was home to one of the largest Creek removalcamps in Macon County. The same location that witnessed the passing of the death decree for any manwho sold Creek land to the United States later became one of the last stops for Creeks forced to leavetheir beloved homeland and relocate west. Between the years of 1835 and 1837 the removal camp at PoleCat Springs was filled with the families of Creek warriors’ serving under General Jessup in the Floridacampaign against the Seminole Indians. In the years prior to removal, tensions between Indians andsettlers were mounting. Killings and retaliations became frequent in the old Creek country. In February of1837, bands of angry settlers began to attack the removal camps. Pole Cat Springs was attacked onFebruary 19; Indian homes were destroyed, women were raped, provisions were taken and many liveslost. After the attack, the 1,900 inhabitants of Pole Cat Springs were moved out of the old Creek countryto a camp near Mount Meigs.12Ownership of the property at the spring changed hands after the land cession of 1832 and thesubsequent removal of the Creek Indians. A portion of the land at the spring was acquired by J.C. Watsonand Company in 1835 and sold to Charles Boyd in 1841. 13 Over the years, the property was bought andsold multiple times and is now owned byDuring our tour of Macon County, Moore took usto the site of the spring (Figure 9-16). Erosion has taken its toll on the banks above the spring and has204