Coffee Road as it became known, was a supply trail cut through the southern Georgia frontier by General John E. Coffee

John E. Coffee

John E. Coffee was a military leader and a United States Congressman for the state of Georgia.-Early life:...

,
with the help of Thomas Swain. After establishing the counties of Early

Early County, Georgia

Early County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818 and was named for Peter Early. As of 2010, the population is 11,008. The county seat is Blakely.-Geography:...

, Irwin

Irwin County, Georgia

Irwin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818. As of 2000, the population was 9,931. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 9,934...

, and Appling

Appling County, Georgia

Appling County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 17,419. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 17,946...

 in 1819, the Georgia General Assembly approved construction of the road DC 23rd 1822 with funds of $1,500. The trail was built in the early 1820s and ran from Jacksonville, GA through Metcalf

Metcalf, Georgia

Metcalf is a small village in southwestern Georgia. Near Metcalf there is the WCTV Tower, the tallest structure in Georgia. A lumberyard is located on the main highway. There are two churches located in Metcalf, Friendship Baptist and Metcalf Methodist Church. Friendship Baptist is one of the...

 onto Tallahassee, FL. The trail was approximately three feet wide (3 foot (0.9144 m)), and made by 1,000 slaves that belonged to the government. This was the first vehicular path through the region. The trail was initially built to carry munitions of war to Florida Territory to fight the Indians during the Creek Wars, but was later used by settlers moving into the Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

frontier. There were no bridges or ditches and only private ferry crossings. Many pioneer families including Halls, Folsoms, Roundtrees, Parrishs, and Knights traveled to find farms and plantations.

Much of the road remains in daily use.