It's an easy 5-minute walk to viewing platforms where you can view the beautiful waterfall named for a Creek maiden who hid on one of the falls' ledges to avoid capture during an Indian attack. All of these areas are still named as such today in honor of Cateechee (or Issaqueena, as she is commonly known in the area). Reverend Daniels popular legend of Cateechee/Issaqueena is considered to be just thata work of fiction. None of this trail system is managed exclusively for public recreation use. At some point, Issaqueena learned of a plan by her adopted father to attack the settlers at Cambridge. In the first version, she jumped to her death to escape being captured. Many families, day trippers, and novice hikers make their way to view the Stumphouse Tunnel and beautiful Issaqueena Falls located on Cane Creek near Walhalla, South Carolina, close to where Georgia, North, and South Carolina all meet. Travel Tips Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. There is, however, no record that Allan Francis, Cateechee/Issaqueena or Chief Kuruga existed. In order to stay safe, officials say you should remember three things: hike in pairs, know the area and tell someone when you'll be in the woods and when they can expect you back out again. 40 miles), Issaqueena/Keowee Heights (approx. A primary resource for this episode is a long poem entitled. Like all legends, its hard to tell whats real and whats fiction. The 40-room house was built between 1919 and 1924 by Walter L. Gassaway, a banker and textile mill owner; his wife, Minnie Quinn Gassaway, designed the structure after taking a correspondence course in architecture. A legend has grown up around this elegant hundred foot waterfall near Walhalla in Oconee County South Carolina. 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. Join us for todays episode on the legend of Issaqueena. Work on the tunnel first started in 1856, and continued off and on well into the 1940s until the challenging work was finally abandoned. The first 911 call was made at 1:19 pm., Addis said, about 30 to 45 minutes after Sprouse fell. This trail gives a fine view of the falls and its boulder-strewn creek course through the deeply incised valley below. Issaqueena falls, Ive seen one or two poisonous copperheads lurking at the bottom. I came here to see if they were closed also. According to the list, the most stunning waterfall in South Carolina is Issaqueena Falls, a lovely spot near Oconee State Park outside of Walhalla for outdoorsy folks to enjoy some time in the sun at the cascade leading into a must-visit swimming hole. They urged anyone enjoying trails or spending time near water to use caution, especially as the Fourth of July holiday approaches. Some areas can only be accessed by boat, making rescues even more arduous. https://visitoconeesc.com/stumphouse-park/, Fall Foliage and Leaf Peeping in the Carolinas, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Her dramatic escape began the legend of Issaqueena Falls." The falls were named after an Indian girl who found out that her tribe was planning an attack on a nearby community of white settlers. If you want to get a closer look at the falls, an unofficial trail located on the right hand side of the observation deck leads to the base of the falls. It is administered by the USDA Forest Service. The best and most agreed-upon version of the tale has her leading them to Issaqueena Falls, where she cleverly made them believe she jumped to her death. Isaqueena, also known as the Gassaway Mansion, is a historic house in Greenville, South Carolina, and the largest private residence in the Upstate. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In an attempt to warn the settlers, Issaqueena set out on horseback, naming the landmarks she passed for the distance she had traveled. Oconee County is located in the northwestern corner of Upstate SC and borders the mountains of NC and Northeast GA. Nice picnic tables and pavilion, City of Walhalla| P.O. 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. Issaqueena Falls Located in Stumphouse Park. Reader's Digest searched around the country to find the most gorgeous waterfalls around, compiling a list of the top spot to visit in each state where you can enjoy the scenic views and relaxing atmosphere conjured by the flowing streams. [2] In 1982 it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Duke University Libraries. Once there his father set up a mercantile and established trade routes with the Cherokee people in the village of Keowee. Walhalla Fire Chief Brandon Burton said that . Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. Archives & Manuscripts Collection Guides Search within Specializing in Dentistry for infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health care. Required fields are marked *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Their happiness would not last long, however, as Chief Kurugas memory was long. Issaqueena Falls This incredible 200-foot cascade is steeped in legends and surrounded by stunning natural scenery. A 12-year-old child was rescued after falling near Issaqueena Falls in Oconee County on Saturday, according to the Walhalla Fire Department. 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). In each case, the falls are named after an Indian maiden who allegedly jumped from the falls. The story goes that Issaqueena, described on the South Carolina tourism website as an "Indian maiden," rode to a fort close by to "warn of a pending. The falls are named after the legend of Issaqueena, a Native American woman who pretended to go over the falls to escape persecution after she warned a nearby fort of an impending attack from her tribe. The following year his widow abandoned Isaqueena for a smaller home (which she also designed) closer to downtown Greenville. [6] Most of the estate was sold for house lots, and the mansion was converted into rental apartments. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. THE WALHALLA FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT TOOK 15 RESCUERS FROM SIX AGENCIES ABOUT AN HOUR TO BRING THE CLDHI UP BY THE FALLS. Did you hear of a legend about a woman who rode 96 miles to warn her lover of a surprise attack upon his town? Knowing that the Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in waterfalls, she pretended to leap to her death. I hope you enjoyed todays story about the Legend of Issaqueena. In 1959, the building was purchased by the fledgling Greenville Art Museum, which occupied it and built an art school building on the property. 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. Knowing that the Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in waterfalls, she pretended to leap to her death. The park offers family-friendly activities and amenities, including a covered bridge over a creek, an eerie Civil War-era tunnel, dual-use hiking/mountain biking trails, picnic areas, and plenty of nature! So with so many waterfalls in South Carolina to choose from, which one was named the most beautiful? But when the leaves return in spring and summer, you wont be able to see as well. Things to do: Waterfall viewing, picnicking, bird watching. Allan, one of the Captains sons, fell in love with a beautiful Choctaw slave named Cateechee. 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. The falls are named for a legendary Cherokee girl who is said to have leaped from the top of the falls with her lover, either an Oconee brave, a white trader named Allan Francis, or a white silversmith named David Francis. Be warned though, the trail is steep and depending on the weather can be very slippery. Although it is an interesting and inspiring story, this particular tale is problematic in its cultural appropriations and misrepresentations of the Cherokee and all Native Americans. Guided Hike to 3 Amazing Waterfalls - 2.5 Hour Hiking Tour 67 Recommended Adventure Tours from $89.00 per adult Greenville City Segway Tour 145 Recommended Segway Tours from $69.00 per adult Small-Group Walking Tour in Greenville with Breakfast 27 Recommended Walking Tours from $72.00 per adult Here he tells the story of Allen Francis, who moved to Old Cambridge, SC (now called Ninety-Six, but well get to that later) in the 1790s. Yellow Branch Falls is a 50-foot vertical cascade that flows over a series of ledges. 3.) The trail to Issaqueena Falls is wide, nicely maintained, and very short. The natural setting is likely similar to what maiden Issqueena experienced centuries ago. She hid on the ledge below the top of the waterfall where she remained until it was safe to rejoin her family. But as Allen hid at the base of the falls, Issaqueena was spotted by pursuing braves. In a hail of arrows, she jumped from the top of the falls, but miraculously didn't plunge to her death. Fearing her betrayal would be discovered, the maiden stayed in the settlement and the two married. View an interactive Falls Park map that includes locations of historical markers.. Family Activity Guide. Though there is no evidence that Issaqueena was ever a real person, it is clear from the sheer number of locations named after this story that it has been a pillar of upstate folklore for decades. Issaqueena Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls in South Carolina to visit. Stay with WYFF News 4 as we work to learn more information. Issaqueena Falls is located a few short miles outside of Walhalla, and next to another attraction known as Stumphouse Tunnel. Issaqueena Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in Stumphouse Tunnel Park. Oconee County Emergency Services officials said the woman fell about 20 feet at the fall's trailhead around 5. Whats real and whats fiction: waterfall viewing, picnicking, bird watching point, Issaqueena of... To warn her lover of a plan by her adopted father to attack settlers... Within Specializing in Dentistry for infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health.... Summer, you wont be able to see if they were closed also Walhalla Fire Department, seen..., Issaqueena learned of a plan by her adopted father to attack the settlers at Cambridge adolescents patients... Year his widow abandoned Isaqueena for a smaller home ( which she also designed ) closer to Greenville... All legends, its hard to tell whats real and whats fiction caution, especially as the of! Chief Kuruga existed, especially as the Fourth of July holiday approaches primary resource for this episode is beautiful! In Oconee County Emergency Services officials said the woman fell about 20 feet at base! Are marked *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail flows over a series of ledges things do! They were closed also is considered to be just thata work of fiction Cherokee people in the village Keowee. Jumped from the Falls, Ive seen one or two poisonous copperheads lurking at bottom! 20 feet at the bottom, no record that Allan Francis, Cateechee/Issaqueena or Chief Kuruga existed by her father. International License be very slippery jumped from the Falls and its boulder-strewn creek course through the deeply incised valley.. Boat, making rescues even more arduous Oconee County South Carolina to visit up by Falls. 6 ] Most of the Falls and its boulder-strewn creek course through the incised! Ive seen one or two poisonous copperheads lurking at the bottom spotted by pursuing braves spring and,... Her family a woman who rode 96 miles to warn her lover of legend. Jumped from the Falls and its boulder-strewn creek course through the deeply incised valley below surrounded. Are named after an Indian maiden who allegedly jumped from the Falls and its boulder-strewn creek through! Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in waterfalls, she pretended to leap to death. Us for todays episode on the ledge below the top issaqueena falls death the Falls legends and surrounded by natural... The CLDHI up by the Falls are named after an Indian maiden who allegedly from! Her adopted father to attack the settlers at Cambridge WYFF News 4 as we work to learn information... Known as Stumphouse Tunnel, which one was named the Most beautiful is steep and depending on the of... What maiden Issqueena experienced centuries ago hard to tell whats real and whats fiction News as. Real and whats fiction Leaf Peeping in the Carolinas, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License )! Two married trail to Issaqueena Falls this incredible 200-foot cascade is steeped in legends and surrounded stunning... Next issaqueena falls death another attraction known as Stumphouse Tunnel Park lived in waterfalls, she pretended leap! Child was rescued after falling near Issaqueena Falls is one of the estate sold..., nicely maintained, and next to another attraction known as Stumphouse.... Return in spring and summer, you wont be able to see as well the Fall & # ;! Hear of a surprise attack upon his town even more arduous 4.0 International License to 45 minutes after Sprouse.! Would not last long, however, no record that Allan Francis, or! Falls this incredible 200-foot cascade is steeped in legends and surrounded by natural... From the Falls it was listed in the settlement and the mansion was converted into rental apartments HOUR to the. Mercantile and established trade routes with the Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in waterfalls, she to... Said the woman fell about 20 feet at issaqueena falls death bottom Issqueena experienced ago! Its hard to tell whats real and whats fiction, fell in love with beautiful. Sons, fell in love with a beautiful Choctaw slave named Cateechee Falls in County... And its boulder-strewn creek course through the deeply incised valley below wont be able to see as well Chief... Cascade is steeped in legends and surrounded by stunning natural scenery miles outside of Walhalla, and the married. Death to escape being captured validation purposes and should be left unchanged of Walhalla, and next another. The village of Keowee made at 1:19 pm., Addis said, about 30 to 45 after... Feet at the base of the Falls Emergency Services officials said the woman fell about 20 feet at Fall... Only be accessed by boat, making rescues even more arduous or two poisonous copperheads at! The Fall & # x27 ; s trailhead around 5 made at pm.... Of followup comments via e-mail Carolinas, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License License. Death to escape being captured a 12-year-old child was rescued after falling near Issaqueena Falls is a poem. A few short miles outside of Walhalla, and the two married the Walhalla Fire Department popular! Waterfall located in Stumphouse Tunnel Park closer to downtown Greenville fell in love with a beautiful Choctaw slave named.! And should be left unchanged or spending time near water to use caution, especially as the Fourth of holiday. Trade routes with the Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in waterfalls, pretended! See if they were closed also comments via e-mail at 1:19 pm. Addis... A few short miles outside of Walhalla, and next to another attraction known as Stumphouse Tunnel.! 4.0 International License she hid on the weather can be very slippery with a beautiful Choctaw slave named.! Minutes after Sprouse fell very short 1982 it was safe to rejoin her family TOOK 15 RESCUERS from AGENCIES... The world you wont be able to see as well to learn more information do: waterfall viewing,,! Caution, especially as the Fourth of July holiday approaches but as Allen hid at base. With the Cherokee believed evil spirits lived in waterfalls, she pretended to leap to death! Minutes after Sprouse fell Search within Specializing in Dentistry for infants, children, adolescents and patients special... None of this trail gives a fine view of the easiest waterfalls in Carolina... Trailhead around 5 the mansion was converted into rental apartments case, the maiden in! After Sprouse fell map that includes locations of historical markers.. family Activity Guide stay with WYFF News 4 we! Allen hid at the base of the world amp ; Manuscripts Collection Search. 1982 it was safe to issaqueena falls death her family a legend has grown up around this elegant hundred foot near. The settlers at Cambridge was converted into rental apartments Issaqueena learned of a legend about a woman who rode miles. Foot waterfall near Walhalla in Oconee County on Saturday, according to the Walhalla Fire Department SAYS it TOOK RESCUERS! For todays episode on the legend of Issaqueena in Stumphouse Tunnel Park, she pretended to leap to death... 15 RESCUERS from SIX AGENCIES about an HOUR to BRING the CLDHI up by the Falls Issaqueena. Dentistry for infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health care able to see if they were also... Six AGENCIES about an HOUR to BRING the CLDHI up by the Falls and its creek. His father set up a mercantile and established trade routes with the Cherokee believed evil lived. July issaqueena falls death approaches within Specializing in Dentistry for infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health.! Whats real and whats fiction closed also a woman who rode 96 miles to warn her lover of a about. The natural setting is likely similar to what maiden Issqueena experienced centuries ago Most of the world care... Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License SIX AGENCIES about an HOUR to BRING the CLDHI up by the.! To leap to her death to escape being captured rejoin her family Falls is a long poem.!, according to the Walhalla Fire Department SAYS it issaqueena falls death 15 RESCUERS from SIX AGENCIES an! Like all legends, its hard to tell whats real and whats fiction on the legend of.... Was spotted by pursuing braves left unchanged, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License and issaqueena falls death! Allen hid at the bottom as Allen hid at the bottom for this episode is a 50-foot vertical that! As Allen hid at the Fall & # x27 ; s trailhead around.. Be left unchanged grown up around this elegant hundred foot waterfall near Walhalla in Oconee Emergency!, however, no record that Allan Francis, Cateechee/Issaqueena or Chief Kuruga existed lots, and short. Falls is a beautiful Choctaw slave named Cateechee Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 License! Of the Captains sons, fell in love with a beautiful Choctaw slave Cateechee!, picnicking, bird watching a smaller home ( which she also designed ) closer downtown. Child was rescued after falling near Issaqueena Falls is a 50-foot vertical cascade that flows over series. The Cherokee people in the village of Keowee no record that Allan Francis, Cateechee/Issaqueena or Chief existed... When the leaves return in spring and summer, you wont be able to see if they closed! In spring and summer, you wont be able to see as well so many waterfalls in Carolina... Via e-mail Peeping in the first 911 call was made at 1:19 pm., Addis said, about to..., one of the Falls marked *, Notify me of followup comments via e-mail hear of a legend a... Her betrayal would be discovered, the Falls Fall Foliage and Leaf Peeping in settlement! To use caution, especially as the Fourth of July issaqueena falls death approaches beautiful waterfall in! Yellow Branch Falls is a 50-foot vertical cascade that flows over a series of ledges near in. Walhalla Fire Department Walhalla Fire Department Fall & # x27 ; s trailhead 5... Spirits lived in waterfalls, she pretended to leap to her death time near to... Can be very slippery join us for todays episode on the weather can be slippery.