The legislative act on February 10, 1836 that created Bradley County, which was named for Colonel Edward Bradley of Shelby County, Tennessee, authorized the establishment of a county seat. It was to be named "Cleveland" after Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, a commander at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution." Goodspeed's History of Bradley County, Tennessee, 1887. Transcribed for web content and maintained by TNGenWeb - Bradley County. Retrieved: December 30, 2007. The legislative body appointed to govern the county was required to meet in nearby Chatata Valley until a site was chosen for the county seat.
