
History
The earliest white settlers of what is now Cherokee area called the community Buzzard Roost. Population increases by 1838 spurred construction of more roads to the area. The area remained primarily agricultural. The first post office opened in 1856, and the U.S. Postal Service gave it the name Cherokee. In 1857, the Memphis & Charleston Railroad came through the area. A depot built in 1858-1859 to serve a new rail line through the town prompted a building boom, and lots laid out around the depot sold quickly. By 1862, the town had grown enough that the citizens voted to incorporate, officially adopting the name of the post office.

Demographics
According to the 2010 Census, Cherokee had a population of 1,048. Of that number, 77.6 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 18.3 percent as African American, 2.3 percent as two or more races, 1.7 percent as Hispanic, 0.5 percent as Native American, and 0.3 percent as Asian. The town's median household income, according to 2010 Census estimates, was $36,875, and the per capita income was $18,038.
Employment
According to 2010 Census estimates, the work force in Cherokee was divided among the following industrial categories:
· Manufacturing (23.9 percent)
· Educational services, and health care and social assistance (17.0 percent)
· Retail trade (11.9 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (11.0 percent)
· Construction (7.4 percent)
· Transportation, warehousing, and utilities (6.3 percent)
· Professional, scientific, and administrative and waste management services (6.1 percent)
· Public administration (5.7 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (5.5 percent)
· Information (1.9 percent)
· Wholesale trade (1.3 percent)
· Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.1 percent)
· Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (0.9 percent)
· Educational services, and health care and social assistance (17.0 percent)
· Retail trade (11.9 percent)
· Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (11.0 percent)
· Construction (7.4 percent)
· Transportation, warehousing, and utilities (6.3 percent)
· Professional, scientific, and administrative and waste management services (6.1 percent)
· Public administration (5.7 percent)
· Other services, except public administration (5.5 percent)
· Information (1.9 percent)
· Wholesale trade (1.3 percent)
· Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (1.1 percent)
· Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (0.9 percent)
Education
Cherokee is part of the Colbert County Schools and has one elementary school and one high school.
Transportation
Cherokee is served by U.S. Highway 72 and County Road 20, both of which run east-west through the town, and County Road 21, which runs north-south through the town.
Events and Places of Interest

In June 2018, the town opened the Cherokee Kayak Trail, an eight-mile route on Bear Creek to highlight area wildlife and scenic spots; the town provides drop off and pick up services with kayak rentals, and there are numerous sandbars for stopping along the route.
Additional Resources
Colbert County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.
Additional Resources
Colbert County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Colbert County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, 1999.