I have always said, if there were ever a picture that could describe my soul it would be this one. WarWoman Dell is located in the Northeast section of Georgia in a wonderful town called Clayton. The drive to Clayton reminds me of of the mountains in Colorado, they just seem to be right in front you, calling to you to keep moving forward.
Clayton is located in Rabun County and you will see a little of everything there, mountains, waterfalls, springs, forest, lakes and so much more. Rabun County is nestled in the southern tip of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a convenient drive from the major metro areas of Atlanta, Georgia, Asheville-North Carolina, Greenville-South Carolina and Chattanooga-Tennessee.
History of WarWoman
WarWoman was a beloved Cherokee dignitary who voiced the decision of the Council on war and peace. Legend states that each spring this woman visited the Dell to preside over rituals.
America's first natural born botanist, William Bartram, explored the area in the 1770's. He documented the plants, climate, geology and culture of the people of this period and paved the way for future development. A railroad bed was constructed here which would have connected the south and mid-western markets in Cincinnati. Work stopped suddenly at the beginning of the Civil War and no rails were ever laid. Unmanageable logging in the late 1800's and early 1900's degraded the forest. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) went to work restoring the land by planting trees and controlling erosion. Enrollees in Company 457 built the original picnic shelters, fish holding tanks, latrine and stonework drains in WarWoman dell.
I was introduced to WarWoman Dell after attending a Woman's Ceremony that was held in that general area, many moons ago. The second my feet touched the ground at WarWoman I was in love. This is a place that no matter where I moved, it always stayed in my heart and has always been considered my sacred sanctuary.
In 2008 when I visited there shortly after returning to Georgia, my heart sank. The trails were no longer taken care of. There were many trees down, the energy was extremely low and somehow it had lost a huge part of its spiritual energy. Sometimes, I often go there and just sit by these huge hemlock trees often referring to them as my elders. Those trees have heard many of my stories, my sorrows and stories of my spiritual path. One of the most favorite times I had at WarWoman was when I was walking a trail and as I looked down to the ground I found a Hawk feather. Many people that I have gone there with; always tells me the same thing, they say: "Oak, watching you here (WarWoman) is like seeing you walk right out of Nature as if you were a part of it." To be truthful, often I felt like I was a part of WarWoman.
Many times, I would go there and walk this small trail away from everything and sit by this tiny waterfall and just play my drum. I always felt spirit activities there often wondering why I was always drawn to a certain place where there was a spirit of a young girl. She would always stay at a distance from me but she was always near me. The stories are endless when it comes to WarWoman Dell. If you ever visit North Georgia, put WarWoman on your list of places to visit. I hope you will love it as much as I do.
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