CHEROKEE COUNTY. Cherokee County is located in central East Texas.. It was named for the Cherokee Indians, who lived in the area before being expelled in 1839. Rusk, the county seat, is 130 miles southeast of Dallas and 160 miles north of Houston.Redlands cover a fourth of the county. A forest of shortleaf and loblolly pine with mixed hardwoods covers 57.6 percent of the land. Timber, rich soils, abundant water, oil, natural gas, clays, and iron ore lead the list of natural resources. The hilly terrain ranges from 250 to 570 feet above sea level. The Neches River forms the western boundary of the county and the Angelina River the southeastern boundary. Three major reservoirs lie wholly or partly within the county: Lake Palestine, Striker Creek Reservoir, and Lake Jacksonville. The underlying Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer provides much of the water supply to municipalities.
There are many activities to do in Cherokee. Near Lake Palestine which is popular for fishing, water skiing and jet skiing. There are also several areas to hunt in. Occasionally the Balk Eagle has been spotted around this area. This area offers a real country feeling with beautiful wildlife.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,750 km² (1,062 mi²). 2,725 km² (1,052 mi²) of it is land and 25 km² (10 mi²) of it (0.92%) is water.
Major Highways
U.S. Highway 69, U.S. Highway 79, U.S. Highway 84, U.S. Highway 175, State Highway 21, State Highway 110
Adjacent counties
Smith County, Rusk County, Nacogdoches County, Angelina County, Houston County, Anderson County, Henderson County
Cities & Towns
Alto, Bullard, Cuney, Gallatin, Jacksonville, Maydelle, New Summerfield, Reklaw, Rusk, Troup, Wells
