Starting from the gravel parking lot, cross the bridge then . A great resource that gives historical facts behind the legends is, Cherokee Myths and Legends: Thirty Tales Retold, You can view many photos and links to information about Issaqueena, Issaqueena Falls, the Stumphouse Tunnel, Ninety Six, and other tidbits from today on our Pinterest board located at, https://www.pinterest.com/TalesfromtheHearth/Issaqueena, The Stumphouse Tunnel is located off of Stumphouse Tunnel Road near Walhalla and Mountain Rest, South Carolina. Issaqueena Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in Stumphouse Tunnel Park. WE ARE TOLD THE 12 YREA OLD MAY HAVE A FRACTURED LEG. The Stumphouse Tunnel is located off of Stumphouse Tunnel Road near Walhalla and Mountain Rest, South Carolina. She may have been Choctaw, because according to linguists, the, name Issaqueena is very close to the Choctaw word isi-okhina that translates to deer creek.. . Most versions of the legend say that Issaqueena, who is occasionally called Cateechee, fell in love with a white settler, but learned that her tribe was planning a surprise attack on a white encampment. The attraction is adjacent to Stumphouse Tunnel outside of Walhalla. Issaqueena Falls is one of Oconee County's most popular destinations and is accessible from inside Stumphouse Park. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. They are named after the Native American woman who jumped off of them. They found a makeshift shelter in a hollow stump near the location of todays Stumphouse Mountain. Browse 17 issaqueena falls stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. You can view many photos and links to information about Issaqueena, Issaqueena Falls, the Stumphouse Tunnel, Ninety Six, and other tidbits from today on our Pinterest board located at https://www.pinterest.com/TalesfromtheHearth/Issaqueena. Issaqueena Falls Located in Stumphouse Park. Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter. Other versions of the legend have Issaqueena leaping off the waterfall on her way to warn the settlers in Ninety-Six. Her identity has not been released. Did you hear of a legend about a woman who rode 96 miles to warn her lover of a surprise attack upon his town? Cateechee and the baby dodged arrows and outran the Cherokee warriors until they were backed up against the edge of the falls with nowhere else to go. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website or Facebook page. Issaqueena Falls resides in the Sumter National Forest near Walhalla, South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, in the 1970s, it was designated a local historic landmark and conservation area, with picnic tables and trails added for the public. In order to save him and his settlement from a supposed attack by her people, she warned him before running to the top of the falls and faking her own death to escape the anger of her people. Why do you think Issaqueena Falls is closed? All of the legends differ slightly in their renditions but agree on the detail that although Issaqueena was a Native American, she was not a member of the Cherokee tribe. She was a young Choctaw woman captured in war and adopted my the Cherokee Chief Karuga. A 12-year-old child was rescued after falling near Issaqueena Falls in Oconee County on Saturday, according to the Walhalla Fire Department. The natural setting is likely similar to what maiden Issqueena experienced centuries ago. Sources for todays story are: Many! Their happiness would not last long, however, as Chief Kurugas memory was long. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. This is a great picnic spot with several nearby attractions. The town and area was then known as Cambridge. Bring your flash lights or head lamps for the tunnel. Reverend Daniels popular legend of Cateechee/Issaqueena is considered to be just thata work of fiction. Travel Tips It is 25 feet high, 17 feet wide, and stretches 1,617 feet long into the face of Stumphouse Mountain, and is the result of many failed attempts to make a railway tunnel through the mountain. If you visit the Stumphouse Tunnel, make time for an easy 15-minute there-and-back hike (on a well-traveled and maintained trail) down to view the Issaqueena Falls. Some areas can only be accessed by boat, making rescues even more arduous.Scott Krein, with Oconee County Emergency Services, said, Sometimes it takes us hours to get to people that have been in our back country. Some time later, the two decided to return to her home near Issaqueena Falls. Issaqueena is her Choctaw or true name, while Cateechee or Kitichee is considered to be her name while living with the Cherokee. The hike departs southbound from the parking area and quickly crosses a small wooden covered bridge over Cane Creek. DURATION 20 minutes. 18 miles). Stumphouse Park is maintained by the City of Walhalla. Oconee County Emergency Services officials said the woman fell about 20 feet at the falls trailhead around 5 p.m. Officials said rescuers were able to airlift the woman to Greenville Memorial Hospital a little more than an hour after she fell. Views of Isaqueena Falls near Mountain Rest, South Carolina. Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. Their happiness would not last long, however, as Chief Kurugas memory was longand his retribution swift. You will receive your first email soon. The trail to Issaqueena Falls is wide, nicely maintained, and very short. Fire officials said that the child has a possible leg fracture and that it took 15 rescuers from 6 agencies about an hour to bring the child up by the waterfall using a rope system. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. GPS coordinates to the parking area: N 34.80740 W 083.12158. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. OCONEE CO., S.C. (WSPA) - A 12-year-old was injured after falling near the falls at Issaqueena Falls Saturday, according to Walhalla Fire Department. Issaqueena Falls This incredible 200-foot cascade is steeped in legends and surrounded by stunning natural scenery. The three "hotspots" as county officials called them where the most calls originate from in Oconee County are Issaqueena Falls, Jocassee waterfalls and Whitewater Falls. A relaxing 0.3-mile walk brings you to a pavilion overlooking the falls. Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter. A great resource that gives historical facts behind the legends is Cherokee Myths and Legends: Thirty Tales Retold by Terry L. Norton. Unless otherwise noted all photos are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. For the purposes and clarity of this telling, we will use Cateechee primarily as her name, as it is commonly used in the references themselves. Thank you! Issaqueena Falls Issaqueena Falls has a similar story as Connestee Falls south of Brevard, NC. Terms Open full screen to view more . Six Mile Creek, Twelve Mile Creek and others are still known by these names today as well as the town of Ninety-Six. Issaqueena Falls (over 100 feet high) is now owned and managed by the City of Walhalla as part of a public park. Also in the park is the Stumphouse Tunnel, which is 25 feet high, 17 feet wide, and although it was not completed, extends 1,617 feet into the mountain. A legend accompanies the waterfall which tells the story of a Native American woman who betrays her tribe to protect a white settlement and then fakes her death at the falls. Copyright 2023 Visit Oconee SC. The parking area to the left is closer to the bike trail entrance, bathrooms (handicap accessible), large picnic shelters, picnic tables, gazebo across the creek, and trash receptacles. It is also pet-friendly. Issaqueena Falls are named are named for a young Indian maiden who is said to have jumped from the top of the 100-foot cascade to escape her tribesman. It might be tempting to blow on by, but the money helps employ staff and maintain the park. Clemson University no longer cures cheese in the tunnel, but you can view some brown bats andaccording to someghosts. THE WALHALLA FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT TOOK 15 RESCUERS FROM SIX AGENCIES ABOUT AN HOUR TO BRING THE CLDHI UP BY THE FALLS. Your email address will not be published. Youll definitely get a better view in the winter months when the leaves have fallen and they arent obstructing the line of sight. After the art museum moved to a purpose-built gallery on Greenville's Heritage Green in 1974, the mansion sat vacant until purchased in 1977 for use as a church and school. [2] In 1982 it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The drive up was nice . Many versions of the story exist, and historians don't know for sure if she was real." You can read more about this on a sign near the trail (photo below). Check out Reader's Digest's full list to see all the most beautiful waterfalls in the country. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. True Or Not, The Eerie Legend Behind Issaqueena Falls At South Carolina's Tunnel Park Is Fascinating For those who spend the majority of their time in the midland or coastal regions of South Carolina, it may come as a surprise to learn that the Palmetto State is home to hundreds of waterfalls. Stumphouse Mountain is also reported to be a sacred place for the Cherokee tribe and is the resting place of many of its people, who are no longer at rest due to the many attempts to tunnel through the mountain, repeatedly disrupting the countryside and disturbing the rest of any resident spirits. Upstate Outdoor Adventurer. It is rumored that at least ten workers died during the dynamiting and construction of the Stumphouse Tunnel, and there are unexplained paranormal activities as a result. This easy hike will take you to the top of the falls, but a short . They chased her to what is now Issaqueena Falls where she pretended to plunge to her death, but actually hid on a ledge under the fall. Issaqueena Falls is one of Oconee Countys most popular destinations and is accessible from inside Stumphouse Park. For the next 2 and a half years, she and Allen lived among the Cherokee, but longed to be free. |Sitemap. Scott Krein, with Oconee County Emergency Services, said, Sometimes it takes us hours to get to people that have been in our back country. Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! The primary resource for many of the legends is the long poem Cateechee of Keowee by J.W. Legend states that Stumphouse Mountain received its name from moonshiners who hid and dropped off their illegal wares inside tree stumps, or was named after stories from the Cherokee Native Americans, namely a story involving a Native American maiden, Issaqueena or Cateechee, and her lover, whom well talk about today. Sprouse was airlifted to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where he died several hours later. See all photos from Jamarcus T. for Issaqueena Falls Richard R. Elite 2022 Suwanee, GA 5000 1503 24670 2/3/2019 10 photos Beautiful waterfall and super short hike! Mrs. Gassaway used the mansion itself for entertaining, including card parties and "entertainments in the music room and ballroom", but she also supervised the 110-acre estate that included a working farm and dairy. Issaqueena Falls from base Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. The trail to reach the top of these falls involves only a simple 15-minute stroll. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Like us on Facebook for more pictures and updates. Whenever Ive visited Issaqueena falls, Ive seen one or two poisonous copperheads lurking at the bottom. Fleeing Cherokee warriors, they chose to leap from the falls to their deaths instead of dying at the hands of theyre pursuers. towards Ninety Six. While not many actual Native American legends still exist in the folklore of the upstate due to the forced removal of large numbers of Cherokee, Choctaw, Catawba, and and other peoples, the legend of Issaqueena Falls does show that the presence of Native Americans in the upstate has made an impact on the folklore of the area. But as Allen hid at the base of the falls, Issaqueena was spotted by pursuing braves. Located in Stumphouse Park. It was a pleasant fall day, very peaceful and quiet. Stay with WYFF News 4 as we work to learn more information. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The name Issaqueena comes from the legend of a young Native American woman who escaped her tribe by pretending to plunge down the falls to her death, while actually hiding on a ledge below, hidden by the falls. We don't always have trails. You can see the falls from the viewing platform. All of these areas are still named as such today in honor of Cateechee (or Issaqueena, as she is commonly known in the area). She and the baby emerged from a ledge behind the falls and made their getaway with Allan back to the town of Cambridge (now known as Ninety Six). Beginning from the parking area for the Stumphouse Tunnel, this 15-minute hike to Issaqueena Falls is an easy excursion for even the beginning hiker, and its rich in lore and history. 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She hid on the ledge below the top of the waterfall where she remained until it was safe to rejoin her family. They intended to set out from the foot of whats now known as Issaqueena Falls and steal off to safety. 3.) The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Hi Sarah, Issaqueena Falls is NOT closed. This easy hike will take you to the top of the falls, but a short . They settled down in Ninety-Six and began to plan their lives together, but their story wasnt over yet. Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. Today, Issaqueena Falls is found at the end of a very short 0.3-mile hike. I came here to see if they were closed also. 9. Issaqueena Falls, near Walhalla, South Carolina, is a 100 ft (30 m) high cascade waterfall in the Oconee District of the Sumter National Forest.. [7] The building once again became a private residence in the 1990s, and it has since been maintained through rentals as a wedding venue. Feature/Archival Maps. by J.W. On Saturday, a woman was critically injured after slipping at Issaqueena Falls. Within 5 minutes you will have nice views of the falls via lookout platforms situated along the trail. So although its still unclear how the numbering landmarks were named exactly, it seems unlikely that Issaqueena (or Cateechee) originated the naming during her legendary ride. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. We dont always have roads to get there. From the pay station, youll wind down a hill. 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