2019 Map of Whittier

About this map

The Oconaluftee Indian Village and the town of Cherokee serve as a cultural and geographic anchor where the Oconaluftee River meets Soco Creek. This landscape is defined by the meeting of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala National Forest, with the boundary between Swain and Jackson counties winding through the terrain. The settlement pattern follows the river valleys and deep coves, such as Thomas Valley and Hoot Owl Cove, where small communities like Whittier and Birdtown are situated. Numerous family and community burial sites, including Birdtown Cem, Stamper Cem, and the Nations Cem, are scattered across the ridges and gaps. To the south, the Tuckasegee River provides a transit corridor for roads and the railroad, which passes through the Cowee Tunnel near the town of Dillsboro.