Staff photo by Jake Daniels/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Nate Smothers, 9, gets a look at a traditional club at the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park near Birchwood, Tenn., on Saturday morning. A course in Cherokee history is planned in Cleveland, Tenn., in March.CLEVELAND, Tenn. — History buffs who want to dig deeper into the region’s Cherokee roots are being offered a two-weekend course that is required for employees of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.
Dr. Julia Coates, Cherokee history expert from Oklahoma, will lead the course in March at Lee University.
“Dr. Coates’ calendar is booked solid for the next two years. But she is making an exception for us because of all that is going on here,” said Debbie Moore, vice president of the Bradley County Historical and Genealogical Society.
“It’s a very intense, in-depth course,” said Shirley Lawrence, board member of the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park in Meigs County. She took the sold-out course in 2005 at Chattanooga State.
IF YOU GO* What: Cherokee history course at Lee University* When: March 12-13 and March 26-27, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.* Cost: $62* Registration: Write check or money order to Bradley County Historical Society. Mail to Cherokee History Course, P.O. Box 1003, Cleveland, TN 37364. Include name, address and e-mail address. Or register with credit card at www.oldtowncleveland.com. Registration deadline is March 1.