Millersville
Excerpt from, TiWhoppetti "The Valley of Cool Water"
Some Early History of the Millersville Area, p. 11.
by Vergie M. Honeycutt
1106 Cartwright Circle North
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
1996, privately printed
Reprinted with permission.
Several years ago we heard the legend that the Indians had called the area of Millersville TiWhoppetti. Some of the older folks in the neighborhood remember Slaters Creek referred to as TiWhoppetti Creek. It was believed that it was part of the Cherokee language and makes reference to a "valley of cool waters."
We had an old map of the area of Millersville made in 1878. On this map we found "TiWhoppetti branch." This branch or stream begins from a spring that flows from a hillside on the Hugh RADAR Jr. farm. This farm is located on the old 31W Highway at the foot of the ridge.
This little stream is joined by other small streams and flows south to join Slaters Creek behind Delmore HICKS property at Millersville.
By finding the name "Tywopety" on a map gives evidence that indeed our little valley was called by the Indians "valley of cool waters."
We had visited the "Museum of the Cherokee Indians" in North Carolina and found that they would interpret Indian words. I wrote and asked them to interpret the words Tywopety and TiWhoppetti. They were very gracious and answered with a very nice letter.. They said the words were most likely Cherokee words but much of their language had been lost because it wasn't used. Through the years the young people spoke English and did not use their native language. Locational names such as these had been lost.
The Indians probably found it very pleasant to camp in this beautiful valley. There were several springs. So thy all did not have to camp in the same place.
The valley sheltered by the surrounding hills of the Highland Rim and shaded by a forest of large hardwood trees. There was plenty of wood for their campfires, plenty of wild game such as buffalo, elk, deer and small animals. There was nuts, berries and native plants of the forest. There was an abundance of springs and creeks flowing with crystal clear, cool, cool, water.
The Indians used very descriptive language. They had no maps. So they used words to describe people or places so we have the name Tywopety - TiWhoppetti - which means:
"The Valley of Cool Waters."
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