NA3 was North Csrolina M.I St* t Ubr Hale- t COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VOLUME I POPULATION AND ECONOMY STUDY Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians L Report No * 3. Recipient s Catalog No. STANDARD TITLE PAGE I FOR TECHNICAL REPORTS I 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date I 22 19 74 Comprehensive Plan- Volume Julj fJ Population and Economy Study 6. Performing Organization Code Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 7. Authons) 8. Performing Organization Rept. No. E. B.C.I. Planning Board - June Myers 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. N.C. DEPT. NATURAL & ECONOMIC RESOURCES DIVISION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES 11. Contract/Grant No. P.O. BOX 27687 - RALEIGH, N.C. 27611 CPA-N. C. -04-19-10 35 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report & Period Covered Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 Seventh Street, S.W. Final Washington, D.C. 20410 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstracts The Population & Economy Study of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is the fundamental element of the Tribe's comprehensive Planning Program and is the first, volume of a series of studies and plans. This study provides a statistical basis for the Tribal Government's decision making process The objective of this study is to review,, analyze and project such factors as population trends, changing social and economic characteristics and growth indicators 17. Key Words and Document Analysis, (a). Descriptors 17b. Identifiers/Open-Ended Terms 17c. C0SATI Field/Group 18. Distribution Statement 19. Security ClassfThis Report) 21. No. of Pages UNCLASSIFIED 188 ^.Security Class. (This Page) 22. Price UNCLASSIFIED Form CFSTI-35 (4-70) POPULATION & ECON3MY STUDY EASTERN BAND of CHEROKEE INDIANS PREPARED FOR: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians John A. Crowe, Principal Chief Leroy Wahnetah, Vice Chief Jerome Parker, Advisor Tribal Council Joe Bradley- Jonathan Ed Taylor Gerard Parker Edmund Youngbird Bertha Saunooke John Young Tom Bradley Wilbur Sequoyah Bill Ledford Dan McCoy Bailey Coleman Albert Martin PREPARED BY: Cherokee Planning Board Joe Bradley Jim Cooper John A, Crowe Bill Ledford June Maldanado Dan McCoy Frell Owl Bertha Saunooke Arnold Wachacha Bob Blankenship, Executive Director Patricia Smith, Secretary TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY: The State of North Carolina Department of Natural & Economic Resources James E, Harrington, Secretary Division of Community Assistance Robert S, Ewing, Director Community Services Section Harold E Strong, Chief Western Field Office, Asheville, N. C. Michael Geouge, Chief Martha Ramsey, Asst, Field Office Chief June Myers, Planner- in- Charge Herman Rector, Draftsman Jim Thompson, Draftsman The preparation of this report was financed in part through an urban grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the provisions of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954 as amended. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/comprehensiveplav1cher TABLE of CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Methodology CHAPTER #1 - Population Past Chronology of Population Estimates 5 Reliability of Sources 17 Indians Variously Defined 18 CHAPTER #2 - Population Pres ent and Future Overview 21 Geographic Subdivisions Population by County 27 Population by Community and County 28 Ethnic Composition of the Eastern Cherokee 29 Reservation Age of the Population 41 Births^ Deaths and Population Projections 46 CHAPTER #3 - Social Characteristics Overview 51 Marital Status 53 Household Composition 54 Fertility Rates 54 Presence of Children 57 CHAPTER #4 - Incidence of Poverty Definition of Poverty 59 TABLE of CONTENTS (Continued) Page Number General Poverty 61 CHAPTER #5 - Education and. JCncome Chronology of Educational Developments 67 Educational Status 71 Income 80 CHAPTER #6 - Employment Occupation 87 Labor Force 90 Employment Status 90 Weeks Worked 92 CHAPTER #7 - fast___Economy_ Beginning of Changes 97 The Gadugi 100 A New Economy 102 The Economy Falls 104 Rebuilding the Economy 106 CHAPTER #8 - Economy Present Industry 111 Business 121 Agriculture 134 Timber 137 Fish and Game Management 140 TABLE of CONTENTS (Continued) CHAPTER #9 - Summary and Recommendations Summary 143 Recommendations 146 APPENDIX A The Cherokee Tribal Government 151 APPENDIX B Establishment History 167 APPENDIX C Lloyd Welch Constitution 175 APPENDIX D 1889 Cherokee Charter and 1897 Amendment 185 APPENDIX E Tribal Government Organization Chart 195 . TABLES Page Number lo Age of the Population - Males? Eastern Eand of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970, 42 2, Age of the Population - Females? Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 8 North Carolina and the United States, 1970 o 43 3, Indian Infant Deaths,, by County of Residence, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, 1965-1972 5 4, Marital Status of the Population - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970 52 5o Social Characteristics - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States,, 1970 Relationship to Head of Household 5 5 6e Social Characteristics - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970. A Children Ever Born (Fertility Rate) B„ Place of Birth 56 7o Social Characteristics - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970. Families by Presence of Children 58 8 t Poverty Thresholds, 1969 62 9, Poverty Status of the Population - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970, 64 10, School Enrollment - By Age and Type of School, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970, 72 11= Years of School Completed - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970. Total Population 73 TABLES (Continued^ re Number 12, Years of School Completed - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , North Carolina and the United States, 1970, 77 Male Female 13, Family Income of the Population - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , North Carolina and the United States, 82 14, Income of Persons in 1969 - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 84 Male 15, Income of Persons in 1969 - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 85 Female 16, Occupation of the Population - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970? Male 88 17, Occupation of the Population - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970,; Female 89 18, Percent in Labor Force and Class of Worker - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970, 91 A, Percent in Labor Force - Male B, Percent in Labor Force - Female c. Class of Worker 19, Employment Status - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970, 93 A, Male - 16 yrs. old and over B, Female - 16 yrs, old and over Co Male 16 to 21 yrs. old TABLES (Continued) Page Number 20. Weeks Worked and Urban & Rural Residence - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States, 1970. 95 A„ Male, 16 yrs. old and over B. Female, 16 yrs. old and over C. Urban and Rural Residence 21. Industry of the Population - Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and The United States, 1970. 122 „. „ GRAPHS PAGE NUMBER 1. Age of the Population - Males; Eastern Band 44 of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States; 1970 2e Age of the Population - Females; Eastern 45 Band of Cherokee Indians North Carolina and the United States; 1970. 3c Poverty Status of the Population - Eastern 65 Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States; 1970. 4o Years of School Completed - Eastern Band of 78 Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States „ 1970 «, - Males 5c Years of School Completed - Eastern Band 79 of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States; 1.9 70, - Female 6c Family Income of the Population - Eastern 83 Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States; 1970 7c Industry of the Population - Eastern Band 123 of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina and the United States; 1970 . MAPS Map Number L Region Map - All lands owned by the Eastern 25 Band of Cherokee Indians 2 Overlay on Population Map - Qualla and 31 3 200 Acre Tract community boundary lines. mlation Map - Qualla and 3200 Acre Tract 33 with areas of population concentration, Cherokee County Tracts - With areas of 3 5 population concentration. Graham County Tracts - With areas of 3 7 population concentration. CHARTS Chart Number I, Tribal Government Organization Chart. 195 INTRODUCTION i The purpose of this report is to give a comprehensive base for future planning. In order to provide a sound and well-rounded existence for those now residing on lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and for future generations,, a comprehensive in- ventory of existing resources,, services and development is the first step to be taken in the planning process. The inventory should provide an overview of the conditions on the Eastern Cherokee Reservation. Methodology The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, having lands scattered in five counties in Western North Carolina and population scattered over four counties causes great inaccuracy when using a step-down process (as required under the contract for this report) using the U.S. Census 1970 figures. If one were to use the 1970 Census for population count, giving the maximum benefit of doubt under the heading of "other" and further