The Calfkiller River, named after a Cherokee chief who lived in the area in the 18th century, is a 42-mile-long stream that is a tributary of the Caney Fork River. The Calfkiller River runs through Putnam, White, and Van Buren counties in TN. The river passes through hilly sections of the Eastern Highland Rim before flowing through the town of Sparta, then emptying into the Caney Fork in rural White County. The river holds significance to many groups throughout history, including its use by Cherokee people, battles fought on its banks during the Civil War , and its use for electric power at a formerly-active Sparta dam.
