Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) have submitted a request to the National Park Service (NPS), for an exchange of land. The exchange involves a 168-acre parcel just within the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, known as the Ravensford tract. The exchange is for the development of much needed educational facilities. The EBCI's plans for the property is to build a three-school complex.

The National Park Conservation Association (NPCA) opposes the exchange. The reason the NPCA has given for opposing the exchange is stated as, "The Ravensford tract is not an appropriate place for development, and removal of land from a national park in this way would set a dangerous legal and National Park Service policy precedent."

In exchange for the Ravensford tract, the National Park Service will acquire a parcel of prime property, now designated as private property, that runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the state of North Carolina.

There is irony in this matter, in that all of the land under consideration for 'exchange', once belonged to the Cherokees. This land is part of the original homelands of the Cherokee Nation. William Holland Thomas reaquired only a small portion of the homelands, by purchasing back land that had been taken from the Cherokee People. Thomas bought the land back for the Cherokees, who somehow managed to avoid being hearded west, during the infamous forced removal, best known as the "Trail of Tears".

The National Park Service will be holding public meetings for comments on this matter, February 12, 13, and 14, 2002; from 6:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. at the following locations:

February 12, 2002 - Cherokee Elementary School,
Highway 441 N., Cherokee, NC

February 13, 2002 - Ellington Hall, University of Tennessee agricultural campus, 2431 Center Drive, Knoxville, TN

February 14, 2002 - Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Arts Center,
Milepost 382, Asheville, NC

Participants at the meeting will have 3-minutes to present their comments on the proposed land exchange.