The Standing Stone

The Standing Stone monument sits next to the public library in Monterey, Tennessee. Atop the man-made  pedestal is a now-unremarkable small boulder that is only a remnant of what must have been a very impressive stone. The stone originally was shaped like a sitting dog and is variously reported to have been 10-16 feet tall. It served as a boundary between different Native American Indian nations, and was used as the boundary marker for a 1785 Indian Treaty. A marker beside the memorial tells its story:

The stone had been chipped away by white souvenir hunters before the railroad blasted it to pieces in 1893 to make way for new track. The fragment seen atop the monument today was rescued by the Narragansett Tribe No. 25 of the Improved Order of Redmen (a fraternal organization), the words "NEE YAH KAH TAH KEE" (Cherokee language translated "Standing Stone") and a tomahawk inscribed on it, and placed on the pedestal.  The monument was dedicated  October 17, 1895.

 

 The City of Monterey observes "Standing Stone Day" each October with Native American programming and a ceremony at the Standing Stone. Native American storytellers, musicians, and speakers provide entertainment and education to visitors.