Charley's Trace (also spelled Charlie's Trace) is possibly named for a Choctaw trader who operated a steamboat fueling station near Clarksdale in the 1820s.[1] There is some evidence that Hernando de Soto used Charley's Trace to reach the Mississippi River on May 8, 1541.[2] After the Mississippi Territory was open to settlement, Charley's Trace connected to other roads such as Gaines Trace and was used by outlaws who operated in the Mississippi Delta.[3]
Charley's Trace is possibly depicted on the Baron de Crenay's 1733 map of Louisiana.[4] The 1755 Mitchell Map may also depict Charley's Trace (labeled as "Route of Colonel Welch to the Mississippi River in 1698, since followed by our Traders").[5]
A historical marker was placed by the Chakchiuma Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on February 20, 1926. The marker was replaced with a newer one on May 21, 1955. No marker exists at the site today.[6]