Who named the Chattahoochee?
Origin of the name ‘Chattahoochee’ isn’t nearly as certain as the birthplace of the river that carries the name. The most generally accepted story comes from the 1799 travel log of Benjamin Hawkins, an Indian agent: “The name of the river derived from ‘Chatto,’ a stone, and ‘hoche,’ marked or flowered; there being rocks of that description in the river above Hoithletigua at an old town Chattahoochee… Living in the headwaters area, the Cherokee had named the river “Chota,” which was also the name of a town in the Nacoochee Valley. When the river flowed into Creek territory, it became the “Chattahoochee.” -Sherpa Guides Q: Why do you think the Cherokee and Creek people settled along the Chattahoochee? A: Fresh, moving water and fertile soils Typically, rivers meander and change course over time. Q: Has the “Hooch” changed course? A: No. The Chattahoochee River is one of the oldest and most stable river channels within the United States, flowing along the Brevard Fault Zone. The Chattah
