Cherokee, North Carolina

Cherokee, North Carolina
ᏣᎳᎩ (Cherokee),
ᎡᎳᏬᏗ (Elawodi)
Tsalagi Road
Tsalagi Road
Motto(s): 
"Trails of Legends and Adventures"
Map
Coordinates: 35°28′37″N 83°19′13″W / 35.47694°N 83.32028°W / 35.47694; -83.32028
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesSwain and Jackson
Area
 • Total12.07 sq mi (31.26 km2)
 • Land12.07 sq mi (31.26 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation2,438 ft (743 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,195
 • Density181.84/sq mi (70.21/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28719
Area code828
FIPS code37-12140
GNIS feature ID2629369[2]

Cherokee /ˈɛrəˌk/[3] (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩ, romanized: Tsalagi) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Swain and Jackson counties in Western North Carolina, United States, within the Qualla Boundary land trust.[4] Cherokee is located in the Oconaluftee River Valley around the intersection of U.S. Routes 19 and 441. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 2,195. It is the capital of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, one of three recognized Cherokee tribes and the only one in North Carolina.

The community also serves as a tourist destination, with numerous campgrounds, motels, and hotels serving visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with a major entrance to the park lying within the community. The Cherokee Historical Association runs the Oconaluftee Indian Village, a living-history museum, as well as the popular outdoor drama Unto These Hills, and is associated with the Museum of the Cherokee People. Cherokee serves as the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Oconaluftee River flows through the town and is popular for tubing.

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Cherokee, North Carolina
  3. ^ "Cherokee". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  4. ^ "Qualla Boundary | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved August 27, 2020.