Cherokee Messenger-Republican

This is a true story. As a child in the early '40 I badly tore the ligaments in my left ankle and was on crutches for several weeks. If anything the pain seemed to get worse as weeks wore on. My family suggested we drive out over the Great Salt Plains where they were just filling it in with water. They thought it might help my ankle. So they drove out to the back of the lake which was filling in front of the new dam. It was just about half filled and I was able cavort around in the shallow water on my crutches. After a short time the ankle felt much better, and as if went deeper into the water I lifted my crutches and could gingerly walk on the bottom. A few days later I could walk around without any help. We all attributed this somewhat to the waters of the new Great Salt Plains Lake. more

This is Cherokees greatest claim to fame. Just a couple of miles east of town lies a large expanse of salt flats wherein a natural formation of rare salt crystals form. These crystals form with a distinct ""hour-glass""appearance. This occures nowhere else in the world! Usually, between the months of April and October visitors are allowed to ""mine"" these crystals. This is done by digging a shallow hole {about two feet deep} into which water will seep from the ground water. Once a sufficient amount of water has accumalated one simply splashes the sides of the hole to expose the crystals which are very delicate until dried. Pros: Great outdoor expierence. Wide open spaces with an abundance of wildlife nearby. Cons: One may get a little dirty digging crystals. Be sure to take drinking water with you. more