Cherokee County has a heritage rich in Native American and pioneer cultures. North Carolina's western-most county offers cultural and recreational opportunities that are unique in the state.
Cherokee referred to a Highlands town and people residing on its reservation. Information about this Native American tribe could be discovered in a guided tour of Oconaluftee Village and places such as a wax museum. Artistic expressions of information inspired by the area’s mythical origins included Little People and This Haunted Land.
Included in plans to economically and occupationally improve Western North Carolina were newer industries such as craft brewing, as well as mainstays agriculture, tourism, and higher education. Collaboratively, these ventures promised to improve the quality of life in towns ranging from Asheville to Sylva, from counties such as Caldwell and Henderson.