March 29, 2010

Tahlequah named Top 10 True Western Town

Cherokee Nation makes True West Magazine’s top 10 list

Recognized for its cultural tourism program and preservation effortsDispelling the notion of western towns as nothing more than Hollywood movie lore, Cherokee Nation and its capital city of Tahlequah is a thriving cultural community that has earned the seventh spot on the list of Top 10 True Western Towns of 2010 as recognized by True West Magazine.

True West editors determine winners for this annual award based on criteria demonstrating how each town has preserved its history through old buildings, museums and other institutions, events and promotions of historic resources.

“The Cherokee have made it their mission to preserve their culture and hand it down to future generations,” said True West Executive Editor Bob Boze Bell. “Their heritage is a proud one–and their efforts to keep it alive deserve honors.”

In January 2009, Cherokee Nation created a cultural tourism program with genuine Cherokee perspective and cultural experiences that is distinctively branded: “Osiyo, Cherokees Say Hello Like No One Else.” The foundation of the tourism program rests in its cultural, historical, natural and recreational resources of the Cherokee Nation, which includes the 14-county area located in northeastern Oklahoma that spans 7,000 square miles.
Comment:  Eastern Oklahoma is in the Midwest, not the West, but never mind.

For more on the subject, see Cherokee Capitol Is Historic Landmark and Cherokee Nation Offers Tour Package.

3 comments:

dmarks said...

I'd call all of Oklahoma as being in "the American West" for sure. Many others do too. I barely even consider Missouri to be Midwest even. At the eastern edge of Missouri, far east of Oklahoma, stands the Gateway Arch... the Gateway to the West.

In Wikipedia, the "Old West also includes Oklahoma. There's no way you are going to find the National Cowboy Museum in a Midwestern state.

Rob said...

The magazine is honoring achievements in today's American West, not the Old West. Here's what Wikipedia says about that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_United_States

The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time. Prior to about 1800, the crest of the Appalachian Mountains was seen as the western frontier. Since then, the frontier moved further west and the Mississippi River was referenced as the easternmost possible boundary of the West.

In the 21st century, the states which include the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin to the West Coast are generally considered to comprise the American West.

As defined by the Census Bureau, the western United States includes 13 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

dmarks said...

I did the Cherokee tour all in one trip. Both reservations.