Few people outside of Georgia know who Jett Thomas was, and everybody’s kind of okay with that. Thomas was instrumental in ensuring that major buildings in Athens (Ga.) and Milledgeville were constructed specifically to support education and jurisprudence, and as a result two towns and an entire county are named after Jett Thomas today.

Now, that’s validation.

About the Federal Road: the Creek Indians gave the US Government permission to develop a “horse path” through their nation for more efficient mail delvery, specifically between Washington DC and New Orleans, LA. By 1812 the Federal Road begam in Fort Mitchell, AL, and was connected via the Three Notch Road, allowing for movement to Pensacola, FL. Two years later, the road was open and extended to Natchez, MS.

As noted above, the path was originally meant it allowed for better mail delivery, but as the War of 1812 approached, it was widened into a war road. In 1813-14 the road was also used for the purpose of removing Creek People to the western deserts.

There was a second Federal Road that went from Savannah, GA through Knoxville, TN. That one helped remove the Cherokee and open up their land for settlement/investment.

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