The Cowee Pottery School at the Macon Heritage Center in Franklin has announced the nonprofit’s receipt of a grant from the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR).  

Funded by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, the RTCAR initiative is committed to preserving, protecting, and teaching the Cherokee artisan heritage. At the core of this heritage is the balance between maintaining and preserving the natural resources such as river cane, white oak and clay, which are abundant in the Cowee Valley. The Cherokees’ history in the Cowee Valley is significant for many cultural and historical reasons including the significant clay trade activities in the early 1800s.  

According to the National Registry of Historic Places (March, 1992), “North of Nikwasi where Cowee creek flows into the Little Tennessee River stood another Cherokee town, Kawiyi (Cowee), which is believed to mean, The Place of the Deer Clan. In 1767, Thomas Griffiths, an agent for the English potter Josiah Wedgewood, traveled to Cowee in order to secure white clay for making porcelain from a nearby pit.” 

The Cowee Pottery School just recently received approval from the IRS to operate as a nonprofit. Relying on the generosity of contributors, the in-kind support of Macon County, grants such as RTCAR, volunteer instructors, and registration fees are allowing the founders to put together a regular schedule of workshops.

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