Lake Cherokee started out as a hunting and fishing get-away in 1947 for the area sportsman. Ideas had been passed around for some time before some of the business leaders got together and started organizing this dream. The expansion of the city of Longview and the future need of a larger water supply was a major factor in the state of Texas granting the necessary permits in which to carry out the project.

Lake Cherokee is privately owned, divided into lots for the use of the stockholders. It is owned by the stockholders, d.b.a. Cherokee Water Co., the corporation is governed by a board of directors elected by the stockholders. The early directors realized the problems of control of 1500 lease holders, so the assignment of lots was based on a lease agreement, which would be renewable yearly with renewal based upon the lease holders adherent to the established rules. This premise has worked well for fifty years, and our community has thrived.