Cherokee Chamber

CHEROKEE COUNTY ATTRACTIONS
CORNWALL FURNACE
Erected in 1862, this cold blast furnace was the first in the country to be powered by water. The Furnace provided pig iron to the ironworks for the Confederate and is said to be the best preserved In the southeast. This 5 ½ acre park contains a nature trail and picnic pavilion.

LITTLE RIVER NATIONAL PRESERVE
A mountain-top river plunges into a surprising nature sanctuary. It is one of the nation’s longest rivers that forms and flows for most of its length atop a mountain. Then it plunges off the Cumberland Plateau at the head of Little River Canyon. Beginning at 1,900 feet above sea level up on Lookout Mountain, the Little River ends up at 650 feet above sea level at Weiss Lake.

TERRAPIN CREEK
Over 50 feet wide with 14 miles of floatable water , Terrapin Creek is a Class l-ll recreational stream that provides an excellent family friendly canoeing and kayaking experience. For anglers, the creek is known for its spotted, largemouth and redeye bass.

LITTLE RIVER CANYON CENTER
The Little River Canyon Center is a Jacksonville State University building located in Northeast Alabama that adjoins the Little River Canyon National Preserve . With a portion leased to the National Park Service and the staff of the Little River Canyon National Preserve, the facility features a Grand Hall, HD movie theater, gift shop, natural history library, exhibits, classrooms, back deck, outdoor amphitheater and trails for both education and adventure. It is available to rent for meetings, social gatherings, corporate retreats and other special events.

WEISS LAKE
Weiss Lake is in northeastern Alabama . It is owned and operated by the Alabama Power Company. The lake consists of 30,200 acres, all coming from the Coosa River, Chattooga River and Little River, offering over 447 miles of shoreline and shallow flats , large coves, under-water drop offs and deep channels. Weiss Lake is known as the “Crappie Capital of the World” Weiss Lake also has privately owned hotels, marinas, campground and bait and tackle stores.

WEISS DAM
Weiss Dam, creating the reservoir, was begun as the first of seven hydroelectric projects on the Coosa in 1958, and finished three years later. It's a concrete and earthen gravity dam, 126 feet high, named after Fernand C. Weiss, a former chief engineer of Alabama Power.

WEISS LAKE REGATTA - 3rd Weekend in August each year. Sponsored by The Rome Sailing Club.


CHEROKEE ROCK VILLAGE
This 200 acre park contains enormous boulders of limestone and quartz rising to 200 feet and measuring 70 feet wide in places. Native Americans lived in the area from 8000 B.C. to the Cherokee Indian Removal in 1838. The park has natural arches, mountain springs and walking trails. Today the site is a popular place for rock climbers, hikers and others who go to enjoy the outdoors. Some scenes for the film "Failure to Launch", starring Matthew McConaughey, were filmed at the Cherokee Rock Village.
CHEROKEE HISTORICAL MUSEUM
See hundreds of personal items from long ago; hats, dresses, coins, dolls, family photo albums. Also exhibits about trains, steamboats, cannons, quilts, football heroes and more.

ORBIX HOT GLASS
Orbix Hot Glass is a glass blowing studio and gallery of artist Cal Breed whose work has been seen in publications such as Oprah’s O Magazine, Cooking Light, Food and Wine, InStyle, and Southern Living, as well as art galleries around the country .
Come design and literally “blow” your own Christmas ornament with the help of one of our glass artists.

CHEROKEE COUNTY COUNTRY CLUB
Cherokee County Country Club is a semi-private golf course located in Centre, AL
Par 71 course - 6088 yards blue tees, 5491 yards white tees, 4777 yards gold tees, and 4663 yards red tees. Course available to rent for private tournaments.

WEISS LAKE AUCTION - Auctions held the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of every month in Centre, Alabama
We take consignments for our sale: we usually have around 100 consignors for each sale. Sales last around 12 to 14 hours. We start with smalls at 9:00 AM, rugs at 5:00 PM, and furniture around 6:30 PM.

YELLOW CREEK FALLS - The picturesque falls flow over natural rocks into Weiss Lake at the footers from the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway trestle. Yellow Creek Falls , seen from Alabama Hwy 273 near Leesburg, is a favorite destination for boaters and kayakers.

CIVIL WAR TRAIL
Cherokee County was the site of several historical moments during the Civil War. A 67-mile historical trail runs through the county and depicts the ride of John Henry Wisdom, who rode his horse and buggy from Gadsden, AL to Rome, GA to warn of an impending raid on a Confederate cannon factory by Union troops. The county was also the site of "Streight's Raid", during which Confederate General Nathan B. Forrest forced the surrender of troops from Union Colonel Abel Streight's army. Many of the historical markers are located along State Route 9.

HISTORICAL CHURCHES TRAIL
The trail’s churches stand as landmarks and provide welcome and shelter for all who enter regardless of belief. Each church is at least 75 years old. These churches define the heart of North Alabama’s rich and diverse cultural and spiritual heritage. Each church was born of need and built from the materials at hand. Each of these churches has a story to tell.

PINHOTI TRAIL
The Pinhoti is a premier Southern Appalachian long distance hiking trail. The total distance of the trail is 334.9 miles.There are 171.2 miles in Alabama and 163.7 miles in Georgia, which makes the Pinhoti the longest hiking trail in either state.

The Lookout Mountain Parkway spans three states as it stretches across Lookout Mountain from Gadsden, Alabama to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Within it's 93-miles, one will find waterfalls, canyons, scenic brow vistas, unique towns and villages, state and national parks and preserves and many more natural wonders.
Appalachian Highlands Byway – The Appalachian Highlands Scenic Byway passes through some of the most scenic areas of the State of Alabama. The natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains provides a scenic backdrop for travelers on the byway as the route winds along lush vegetation, interesting geologic formations and quaint historic rural communities. Approximately 80 miles in length, the Appalachian Highlands Scenic Byway is located in the northeastern part of the state. It traverses through portions of Cleburne, Calhoun, Cherokee and DeKalb Counties.
Appalachians Highlands Birding Trail – From the forested hills of the Ridge and Valley region to the rich pastures and farmlands of its river-carved valleys, the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail provides a wide diversity of habitats for birds, including the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, and area endemics like the Brown-headed Nuthatch, as well as an exciting list of migrants and year-round residents. Especially noteworthy for bird-lovers are the many rivers that flow through this region, including the Black Warrior, the Cahaba, the Coosa, and the Tallapoosa, which attract a variety of water birds as well. The Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail features 38 approved sites in Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Jefferson, St Clair, Shelby, and Talladega counties, covering an area of over four million acres.
YELLOW CREEK FALLS - The picturesque falls flow over natural rocks into Weiss Lake at the footers from the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway trestle. Yellow Creek Falls , seen from Alabama Hwy 273 near Leesburg, is a favorite destination for boaters and kayakers.