The Old Beloved Path

"Winn takes his readers on a sightseeing journey down The Old Beloved Path—the venerated tribal traditions as recollected by the elders and handed down generation after generation. He combines his research skills and journalistic talents to produce a well-written account of the Indians who inhabited the Chattahoochee River Valley. . .[for the] early period Winn makes excellent use of what there is to reconstruct the life of the people; [but] the middle and late prehistoric periods come vividly to life. He also imparts a genuine sense of humanity to his subjects. This book is well researched and certainly fills a gap in our understanding of southeastern Indian life, particularly that of the Creeks." —Georgia Historical Quarterly

“Winn’s study of the Indians who inhabited the Chattahoochee River Valley is aimed at the general reader and students. He covers the physical characteristics of the area in great detail and provides information on how Indian groups met their physical, social, and spiritual needs. Winn details what he terms the ‘seasonal round’ as the inhabitants, masters of the local environment, shifted to take advantage of abundant game, fish, and wild plants. Discussion of what the author calls the ‘wilderness school’ will interest those curious about firemaking, collection and use of wild plants, and manufacture of tools, weapons, and domestic needs. Also discussed are the major mound sites, their archaeology, and their probable function in the societies that erected them. With a pleasing narrative style . . . Winn discusses native peoples and their culture with respect.” —Alabama Review