The Cherokee and their ancestors had occupied this area for centuries before the first Europeans arrived.īut once gold was discovered near modern-day Dahlonega and Helen GA in 1828, attracting thousands of settlers to the Blue Ridge region, conflict between them and the Cherokee people became increasingly common. That’s partly because most of the area lies within the Qualla Boundary, which is held as a land trust by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Cherokee, North Carolina is not like any other town we’ve ever visited during our extensive explorations of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
