Homes were wooden frames covered with woven vines and saplings plastered with mud. The Cherokee lived in small communities, usually located in fertile river bottoms. By the time European explorers and traders arrived, Cherokee lands covered a large part of what is now the southeastern United States. The Cherokee culture historically was based in hunting, trading, and agriculture. Their history and stories are shared at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, located in Cherokee, NC Museum of the Cherokee Indian | History, Culture & Stories in NC (mci.org) The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians has a long and strong connection to the land of Southern Appalachia and what is currently known as Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
