Icehouse Bottom

Located along the Little Tennessee River, Icehouse Bottom contains artifacts indicating continuous human settlement spanning several thousand years of North American history.

Native American communities established semi-permanent hunting camps at this location starting from 7500 BC, marking it among Tennessee's earliest documented habitation sites.

Archaeological excavations revealed an extensive trade network through pottery fragments connecting indigenous groups from Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio around 1000 BC.

The site remains submerged beneath Tellico Lake since 1979, following the construction of Tellico Dam on the Little Tennessee River.

Research teams discovered clay hearths and burial grounds during excavations in the early 1970s, before the area became permanently underwater.

Location: Tennessee

GPS coordinates: 35.59220,-84.19890

Latest update: March 12, 2025 11:32