The now-submerged Rose Island was home to a significant Woodland period (c. 1000 B.C. – 1000 A.D.) settlement. Later the Cherokee had the town there known as Mialoguo. A substantial South Appalachian Mississippian period (c. 1000–1600 A.D.) village was located at Toqua, immediately south of present-day Vonore. There is some evidence that Toqua's Mississippian village was the village of "Tali", recorded as visited by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition in 1540. The historic Cherokee also had a town at Toqua.