Cherokee Council Names Property Beside Noquisi Mound “The Franklin Storyteller"

By Staff

Cherokee 411

FRANKLIN, N.C. — The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council has officially named a small parcel of land next to the historic Noquisi Mound, also known as the Nikwasi Mound.

During its Sept. 30 clean-up session, Tribal Council approved Resolution No. 344 (2024), designating the 0.56-acre lot as Gaduni Kanohesgi, which translates to “The Franklin Storyteller.”

SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)

According to the resolution, the EBCI purchased the property at 454 East Main Street in 2019. The land, once home to Dan’s Auto Service, includes a paved parking area and a small concrete block building that needs renovation.

The measure was introduced by Juanita Wilson, a tribal member and co-chair of the Noquisi Initiative Board of Directors, in November 2024. Wilson said the naming request had been tabled for nearly a year but was important for two reasons.

“The building needed to have a Cherokee name as it is part of the property on which the mound sits,” Wilson said. “We felt it strengthened our community’s relation and connection to the mound. We were also preparing a federal grant proposal and wanted the name to reflect our ties to the mound and surrounding properties.”

The name Gaduni Kanohesgi was chosen by the Cherokee Speaker’s Council, which Wilson said reflects the cultural and linguistic roots of the area.

The resolution also directs that a Memorandum of Agreement be drafted between the EBCI and the Noquisi Initiative to define stewardship roles and expectations for the property, and to explore the development of a Cherokee cultural learning center.

Elaine Eisenbraun, executive director of the Noquisi Initiative, said the partnership with EBCI remains vital as plans move forward.

“It’s nice to see the unanimous support from Tribal Council,” Eisenbraun said. “We feel it is most important that we maintain a strong partnership between the Noquisi Initiative and EBCI to advance the development of the building into a unique learning center for our people and visitors.”

The Noquisi Initiative describes the site as central to Cherokee history. Noquisiyi, later interpreted as Nikwasi, means “star place” and was once a thriving Cherokee town on the banks of the Little Tennessee River. The mound — formed by Cherokee women carrying baskets of soil — once supported a large council house that towered over the community.

Today, the Noquisi Mound remains one of the most visible Cherokee landmarks in Western North Carolina and serves as a symbolic gateway to Franklin.