Field Trips to Chieftains are fun as well as educational.

The price of our basic tour is $1.50 per student.

We also offer teachers an opportunity to select one of our expanded programs. Expanded programs are hands-on activities designed to teach participants about Native American culture in a fun way. We do ask that groups over 30 select at least one expanded program to be part of your field trip in order to accomodate all students effectively. Groups over 60 should select two expanded programs.

The cost of a tour with one expanded program is $2.50 per student. Each additional expanded program will cost $1.50. Allow one hour for the basic tour and approximately one additional hour for each expanded program.

Teachers are always admitted free; one free adult per every 10 paid students. Additional adults, $1.50 each. Bus drivers free.

Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home is located adjacent to Ridge Ferry Park. You may want to include a picnic as part of your day's activities. The walking trail between Ridge Ferry Park and along the Chieftains property is now complete.

Museum hours: Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.



Chieftains Tour
Major Ridge: Betrayer or the Betrayed

Let your class hear his story and decide for themselves. Of all the people who have lived in this area, perhaps non have made such an impression upon American history as the Cherokee Indian, Major Ridge. A great leader of the Cherokee who chose to live as a white man so that he would be accepted in the white man's world, he was respected by both whites and Indians. Believing it was the only way to save his people from destruction, Ridge signed the Treaty of New Echota, which gave away all the remaining Cherokee land in the East. The U.S. government used this treaty as the excuse for the forced removal of the Cherokee that is now known as the Trail of Tears. Four thousand Cherokee died during this journey. In the eyes of many Cherokee, Ridge's role in this process was perceived as betrayal. On June 22, 1839, Ridge, his son John, and his nephew Elias Boudinot, were assassinated by their own people as punishment for their actions.

Expanded Programs

Special Chieftans Exhibit, "Cherokee Animal Tales" is on display until November 9th. To go along with this exhibit, we are offering a special program:

Cherokee Animal Faces.

Hear the story of how Rabbit thought a mask would be better than his own face and the lesson he learned. Then the students will decorate a paper animal mask to take
home!

Legends in the Mist
In this program students play Native American games and hear Cherokee legends. Students receive a lucky stone to take home. Suitable for grades 2-6.

Sacred Symbols
Explore Native American designs, why they were used, then paint your own leather-like bracelet. Suitable for grades 2-6.

Cherokee Writing

Discover the different ways the Native American Indian communicated. Experiment with picture writing, and learn about Sequoyah, the person who created the Cherokee syllabary. Write an animal's name on a take home magnet in the Cherokee language.
Suitable for grades 2-6.

Early Settler Days and Ways

The Chieftains house began as a log cabin about 200 years ago. The Ridge operated
a trading post and ferry. Many of the first white settlers in this area came to the property as well as worked with Ridge. George Lavender ran the trading post which was located on the property. This was a land of both Cherokee and white settlers who found a way to live together for awhile. The students will learn about how it was then, and play
games that were played by the children of those first settlers.

Two Special seasonal programs!

Ghostly Tales at Chieftains
Come to Chieftains for a special Halloween treat! Ghostly tales will be told by members of The Seven Hills Tellers. There will be no guided tour offered with this program. The students will also hear about superstitions and make their
own medicine bag to take home. This program lasts about 1 hour and 45 minutes and is for 3rd grade and up. The price for this program is $4.00 per student. (ONLY offered on October 24, 25, 26, 30 & 31)

Christmas through the Years (Nov. 27- Dec. 21)
Students will view Christmas trees decorated as they would have been during past eras. Trees from the time of Major Ridge, the Civil War, the Victorian years, the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s will be on display along with information on living in those times. Then students will make an old time Christmas decoration to take home. The cost for this
program is $3.00 per student and is for all ages.

New This Year! Only for pre-K, K and 1st grade
Cherokee Animal Tales Takes it on the Road!
This is what we have done at the museum in the past for the younger student who might not normally tour the museum. It is the only program we offer to take outside of Chieftains. The students will hear how it would have been to be a Cherokee child and then watch a puppet show portraying a Cherokee animal tale. This program lasts about
45 minutes and cost $2.00 per child with a minimum of 10 students, you set the maximum.