University of Virginia Library

The Great Indian Trail

Through the valleys of East Tennessee and Southwest
Virginia ran the "Great Path" or Indian trail,
which, on account of its central position and direct
course, was the most practicable route for communication
between the Northern and the Southern Indians,
as nowhere else could the great Appalachian Chain be
so easily ascended and crossed.

Its course lay along the older portion of the town of
Salem, crossing Mason's Creek just north of Pitzer's
Cliff, thence across the hills to Peters Creek to a point
near the old town of Gainsborough, where it diverged
into two branches, the one running eastward by way of
Bonsack and Coyner's Springs, crossing the Blue Ridge
at Buford's Gap; while the other route of travel passed
by Cloverdale, through Botetourt County, and
thence down the valley.

In later years, after white settlements had been
established, there was a slight divergence from both the
Valley and the Eastern trail, in order that the pioneers
traveling westward might reach "Belmont," the home
of Colonel William Fleming, situated on the east bank
of Tinker Creek.

Near the point of divergence of the great Indian
trail was a free flowing spring of water, and this spot
naturally became the camping ground, not only for
the Indians during their expeditions, but later for the
pioneers and settlers while on their way to new homes
in the valleys west of the Blue Ridge.

It has been estimated that during the days of pioneer
life in Southwest Virginia no less than sixty-eight
thousand persons camped from time to time in the
vicinity of this spring, which is located in the northeast
section of Roanoke City and is known as the
Franklin Mineral Spring.

Nearby was a large saline marsh to which deer and
other animals came to procure salt, and as it was the
largest deer lick of the kind in this part of the country
it became known to the early settlers as the "Big
Lick."

Consequently, when a settlement grew up nearby, it
also took the name of Big Lick and was a convenient
stopping-place for wagoners in early pioneer days.