Kelly 's Ferry played an important role in the Cherokee removal from eastern Tennessee . During this event , Chattanooga served as a collection and holding point , from which groups of Cherokee were marched westward on the Trail of Tears . The road to Kelly 's Ferry and the ferry itself were one of only a few paths suitable for transportation of large groups of people and supplies , and the historical record shows several Cherokee detachments camped or traveled through there
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Kelly's Ferry Cemetery