Cherokee is first and foremost a reservation for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. This community has turned their proximity to the Smokies, the number of people traveling to the area and the fact that they were allowed to open a casino into a thriving tourism industry making Cherokee a destination in the Smokies.
“Trails of Legends and Adventures”
The Cherokee people have lived in the Smoky Mountains for thousands of years. They were the first people to settle in this area and they had a highly developed culture at the time of the arrival of the first European settlers. As the European settlers increased in number and started to take over the Cherokee land, the Cherokee contracted their territory and at times had physical confrontations with these trespassers. They culmination of the Cherokee confrontation with the US government came through Andrew Jackson’s Trail of Tears that moved the Cherokee to Oklahoma and out of the mountains.
Some of the people in the area stayed however, and those that fought against the oppression and those that came back from Oklahoma were eventually given land by the US Government to form the Reservation at Cherokee, NC. Over time, the town of Cherokee has reinvented itself as times dictated and they are now one of the premier areas to visit in the Smokies. Outdoor adventures, historical reenactments and much more await visitors in 21st century Cherokee.
Stats
- 13,432 population
- 2,390 (average altitude)
- 35°28′37″N 83°19′14″W
- Swain County
- http://visitcherokeenc.com/
Most Recent Posts
- Paula Deen’s Kitchen - Paula Deen’s Kitchen in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino closed in 2013. Information below is maintained for historical purposes. Cherokee stepped up its reputation in the eyes of foodies in 2011 by adding a restaurant named after Food Network Star: Paula Deen. Since that time, Paula Deen’s Kitchen in Harrah’s Cherokee Casino has become THE place to … Continue reading "Paula Deen’s Kitchen"
- Kermit Hunter - Kermit Hunter is a well known American playwright. But, he is also known in the history of the Smokies due to the fact that he wrote Unto These Hills, the second longest running outdoor drama in the US and one of the highlights to any visit to Cherokee, NC. He also wrote the outdoor drama, … Continue reading "Kermit Hunter"
- Harrah’s Cherokee - There is only one place to go if you are looking for world class gaming in the Smoky Mountains and that is Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, NC. This casino and hotel opened in November of 1997 and it has become a desination unto itself in theyears since its opening. The casino boasta hotel that … Continue reading "Harrah’s Cherokee"
- Teepees in Cherokee - I remember as a child, when we were vacationing in the Smokies, the signs in Cherokee, NC advertising “real live indians” always intrigued me. Now that I am an adult, I realize that at that time, the people of Cherokee were giving the people that visited the mountains what they expected. They were giving the … Continue reading "Teepees in Cherokee"
- Cherokee, NC - Cherokee is first and foremost a reservation for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. This community has turned their proximity to the Smokies, the number of people traveling to the area and the fact that they were allowed to open a casino into a thriving tourism industry making Cherokee a destination in the Smokies. … Continue reading "Cherokee, NC"
- Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians - As I have been writing about various locations, cities, restaurants and other touristy concepts in the Smoky Mountains area, one thing that I have realized that I have not focused on is the people that inhabited the area before the European settlers moved in. To that end, let’s talk about the Native Americans that dominated both sides of the … Continue reading "Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians"
- Unto These Hills - If you only have time to take in one attraction while you are in Cherokee, NC, that one attraction needs to be Unto These Hills. This show has been part of the attraction scene in Cherokee for more then sixty years and it is the second oldest running outdoor drama in the US. Combining the … Continue reading "Unto These Hills"
- Santa’s Land - Theme Park & Zoo Right outside of Cherokee, NC is a smallish theme park that needs to be on your list of things to do at least once when you are in the Smoky Mountains. This attraction is part theme park, part zoo and all Christmas all the time. Themed as if you are visiting … Continue reading "Santa’s Land"
- History of Cherokee, NC - Cherokee, North Carolina is synonymous with such word s as casinos, gambling, and resort town, but it wasn’t always like that. The now sprawling vacation spot was once as heavily forested as other parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and once consisted of about 135,000 square miles of land owned by the Cherokee … Continue reading "History of Cherokee, NC"