Travel on the Natchez Trace was an adventure in the early 1800s. The 500 mile Trace transversed a sprawling wilderness where only Indians, outlaws and wild animals were at home. Travelers needed a place to find food, supplies and rest. At government request the Chickasaw tribe permitted an establishment of inns or stands at one day intervals through their lands, but only if Indians were the proprietors. One such stand was known as Sheboss once operated near here although the exact location is unknown.
A widow operated an inn here with her Indian second husband who spoke little English. According to legend when travelers approached with questions about accommodations he would only point to his wife and say, "She boss."
The Trail Where They Cried
In 1838, the Cherokee living in the Southeast faced the combined weight of hostile federal and state policies. Forcible removal from their traditional homeland became a fearfly, tearful reality. In the aftermath of hardships suffered by Cherokee who had traveled west, tribal leaders managed their own removal plans.
