Lake Cherokee, Texas

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Lake Cherokee, Texas | settlement_type = Census-designated place | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Texas#USA | pushpin_label = Lake Cherokee  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}} | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Texas}} | subdivision_type2 = Counties | subdivision_name2 = Rusk, Gregg  | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = | established_date =  | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name=TX>{{cite web|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places: Texas|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2010_place_list_48.txt|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2017}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = 16.525 | area_land_sq_mi = 12.239 | area_water_sq_mi = 4.286  | population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = <ref name=TX/> | population_total = 2980 | population_density_km2 = | population_density_sq_mi = 250.9  | timezone = Central (CST) | utc_offset = -6 | timezone_DST = CDT | utc_offset_DST = -5 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> | elevation_ft = 345 | coordinates = {{coord|32|21|35|N|94|39|00|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_codes = 430 & 903 | blank_name = GNIS feature ID | blank_info = 2586944<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2586944}}</ref> | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Lake Cherokee''' is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Gregg and Rusk counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 2,980 as of the 2020 census.<ref name=TX/> Lake Cherokee is located 12 miles southeast of Gregg and northeastern Rusk counties on Cherokee Bayou. The lake is owned by the Cherokee Water Company to supply water for municipal, industrial, and recreational purposes. It has a capacity of 68,700 acre-feet. The lake impounds Cherokee Bayou.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search the TCEQ |url=https://www.tceq.texas.gov/searchpage |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Texas Commission on Environmental Quality |language=en-us}}</ref> The top of the dam is at the elevation of 295 feet above the average sea level, but it has a max design of 291 feet above the average sea level.

==Geography== The community consists of housing development that surrounds Lake Cherokee, a reservoir on Cherokee Bayou, an east-flowing tributary of the Sabine River. Texas State Highway 149 forms the northern border of the CDP; the highway leads northwest {{convert|12|mi}} to Longview and southeast {{convert|24|mi}} to Carthage.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has an area of {{convert|16.525|mi2}}; {{convert|12.239|mi2}} of its area is land, and {{convert|4.286|mi2}} is water.<ref name=TX/> About three-quarters of the area of the CDP is within Rusk County, with the remainder in Gregg County. The county line follows the center of the lake for the lower half of its reach. The upstream half of the lake is entirely within Rusk County.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |2010= 3071 |2020= 2980 |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref> 1850–1900<ref name=1900CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/49-population-tx.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tx-p1.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 13, 2024|archive-date=March 30, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330000710/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tx-p1.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1920<ref name=1920CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-tx-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1930<ref name=1930CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch10.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch09.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-46.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/33255142v1p45ch02.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00496492v1p45s1ch02.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1980/volume-1/texas/1980a_txab-01.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-45.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/> }}

Lake Cherokee first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.<ref name=2010CensusTX/>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Lake Cherokee CDP, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lake Cherokee CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4840468&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> !{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lake Cherokee CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4840468&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> !% 2010 !{{partial|% 2020}} |- |White alone (NH) |2,510 |style='background: #ffffe6; |2,331 |81.73% |style='background: #ffffe6; |78.22% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) |244 |style='background: #ffffe6; |204 |7.95% |style='background: #ffffe6; |6.85% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |15 |style='background: #ffffe6; |22 |0.49% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.74% |- |Asian alone (NH) |8 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1 |0.26% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03% |- |Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) |1 |style='background: #ffffe6; |0 |0.03% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00% |- |Other race alone (NH) |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |11 |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.37% |- |Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) |49 |style='background: #ffffe6; |102 |1.60% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.42% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |244 |style='background: #ffffe6; |309 |7.95% |style='background: #ffffe6; |10.37% |- |'''Total''' |'''3,071''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''2,980''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%''' |}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,980 people, 1,424 households, and 1,065 families residing in the CDP.

== Terrestrial ecosystem == '''Fauna:'''

Fish * Largemouth Bass<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fishing reports, best baits and forecast for fishing in Lake Cherokee |url=https://fishbrain.com/fishing-waters/T7_xsFNL/lake-cherokee |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=Fishbrain |language=en}}</ref> * Channel Catfish<ref name=":0" /> * Blue Catfish<ref name=":0" /> * White Crappie<ref name=":0" /> * Bluegill <ref name=":0" />

==Education== Most of the CDP in Rusk County is in Tatum Independent School District while a portion in that county is in Kilgore Independent School District.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48401_rusk/DC20SD_C48401.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Rusk County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-11-28}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48401_rusk/DC20SD_C48401_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> The portion of the CDP in Gregg County is in the Longview Independent School District.<ref name=GreggCoSDMap2020>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48183_gregg/DC20SD_C48183.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Gregg County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-11-28}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48183_gregg/DC20SD_C48183_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

The boundary of Kilgore College includes the independent school districts of Kilgore, Longview, and Tatum (except for portions of Tatum ISD in Panola County). In other words, all parts of Lake Cherokee are in the service area of Kilgore College.<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.194. Sec. 130.184. KILGORE JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

== Recreation == Lake Cherokee has recreational areas that include Arrowhead Park. Arrowhead Park has activities such as boating, library, a clubhouse, and a lake activity center.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Cherokee Water Company |url=https://www.cherokeewatercompany.com/about |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.cherokeewatercompany.com}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}{{notelist}}

Category:Census-designated places in Gregg County, Texas Category:Census-designated places in Rusk County, Texas Category:Census-designated places in Texas Category:Unincorporated communities in Gregg County, Texas Category:Unincorporated communities in Rusk County, Texas Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas