In this July 31, 2015 photo provided by Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino, part of a casino floor is shown in Murphy, N.C. The Cherokee tribe in North Carolina is betting it can boost its income and solidify its hold on gamblers in the Southeast by opening a second casino, even at a time of slow growth in the gambling industry. The casino opening Sept. 28 in the state’s western corner will bring slots and blackjack tables an hour closer to Atlanta, a top source of visitors. (AP Photo/Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino), Two words: Cherokee Casino.
It may sound blasphemous in a town that also prides itself on the Episcopal Church of the Messiah’s stunning Tiffany windows, but the casino figures to more than double the 181-year-old community’s tourist dollars and you can begin to see that the small town is counting on big things in its future.
Beyond the church _ which first opened in 1896 _ and the casino, Murphy stages a business open house on the first Friday night of every month and includes lots of artists, pottery makers, jewelry crafters and authors. There’s also a stunning River Walk through the downtown area that stretches for a total of two and a half miles.
The town also recently completed a renovation of its historic L&N Railroad Terminal.
In a community originally named for one Archibald D. Murphey, it’s nice to know that when it decided to drop the “E” it didn’t drop at least one “E” word _ entertainment _ from its vocabulary. Anyone making the short two-hour drive from Chattanooga through the Ocoee River Gorge is certain to be glad they did.