Central Georgia was criss-crossed by numerous Indian trails many of which have been used for hundreds of years. Two established trails used by whites were the Oakfuskee and the McIntosh. The Oakfuskee extended from Augusta on the Savannah River to Columbus on the Chattahoochee and into Alabama. The McIntosh Trail extended from Indian Springs in Butts County, into Spalding and four other counties before entering Alabama.

Trails from several directions terminated at Indian springs. Several trails merged and followed the McIntosh Trail west as far as Double Cabins, an important stop about five miles east of Griffin. Here the Oakfuskee veered south and entered Griffin on Broad Street. The McIntosh continued west passing about two miles north of the center of Griffin. During the early 1800's a stagecoach line passed through Indian Springs. In addition, the New York and New Orleans mail and passenger lines continued on to Double Cabins where it headed south on the Oakfuskee. The McIntosh Inn which Chief McIntosh built at Indian Springs was intended to serve this traffic.