CN receives scenic byway designation
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| Natural Falls near West Siloam Springs, Okla., is just one of the many scenic stops along the newly designated Cherokee Hills Scenic Byway. (Submitted photo) |
By Staff Reports
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – A stretch of highway running through Sequoyah, Cherokee, Adair and Delaware counties has been designated by Oklahoma as the Cherokee Hills Scenic Byway.
The designation means the availability of federal funding, grants and increased tourism for many northeastern Oklahoma communities.
“Our structures are the oldest west of the Mississippi, and our government predates the state of Oklahoma. Our history is truly expansive,” said Principal Chief Chad Smith. “As visitors travel along this scenic byway I am sure that the scenery will make them pause and reflect at the beauty and history of the Cherokee Nation and our people. I encourage visitors to stop along the way to visit our communities and our historic sites.”
The designation was made possible thanks to a partnership between the CN, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the University of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Byways Programs works with local communities to establish, recognize and preserve selected roads based on archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic traits.
The newly established byway is an 88-mile route that takes travelers through roads that offer travelers a glimpse of the beauty that Oklahoma presents along every twist and turn, providing spectacular views of Lake Tenkiller and the Illinois River. The byway passes through picturesque areas located on U.S. Highways 59 and 412A and State Highways 10, 51, 62, 82 and 100. Towns located on the byway include Gore, Cookson, Keys, Tahlequah and West Siloam Springs.
Richard Andrews, Oklahoma Byways Program Coordinator and ODOT Project Management Division Assistant Manager, said the Byways Program is an opportunity to work with communities to tell their stories about treasured places and roads that are important to them.
“The Cherokee Hills Byway contains several intrinsic qualities. It is scenic, recreational and the culture that the Cherokee Nation represents is a huge contributing factor to the byways designation,” said Andrews. “Visitors will be amazed at what this byway has to offer.”
Promoting economic and community development, federal grant monies will be available to communities along the route for marketing, concrete and steel construction and for other amenities that will enhance the byway.
“Communities along the byways have the opportunity to apply for federal grants from the National Byways Program and are eligible for partnerships with OU,” said Andrews. “There is no set dollar amount that can be applied for and grants are available in all funding levels. However, grant monies have to be matched by 20 percent of the requested funds.”
The CN will help to manage the byway and act as a liaison between communities. The tribe will work closely with ODOT and OU to diversify and broaden local economies by helping to implement tourism and marketing plans.
Donna Tinnin, CN Tourism Development and Planning specialist, said the byway will help promote tourism within the area by giving travelers access to cultural experiences along sites and communities encompassed by the route.
In addition, the tribe’s Cultural Tourism Department will provide bus tours early next summer to several of these Cherokee communities, which will help facilitate the goals of Cherokee tourism.