The Little Tennessee River Valley (of which Vonore forms a part) is considerable archaeological and historical value. The valley was the principal homeland of the Cherokee Indian Nation for a long period of time. Many of the Overhill Cherokee Indian villages were located in the area. Tanasi, widely regarded as the source of the name of the State of Tennessee and Chota the Cherokee capital, was located in the Vonore area. Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet lived in the area and the Indian villages played host to Sam Houston during his sojourns with the Cherokees. Vonore is the home to Fort Loudoun the first Anglo settlement west of the Alleghenies, which was completed in July of 1757 only to be surrendered to the Cherokees in August of 1760. Vonore has a long history but modern incorporation did not come until June 21, 1965.
