New Echota offers summer programs
Tours, archery lessons and junior ranger days are part of New Echota’s summer calendar.
With summer finally here, the New Echota Cherokee Capital State Historic Site will be hosting seasonal activities including tours, educational programs and events for all ages.
The ranger-guided tours, which are offered on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., take visitors around the historic grounds and buildings at the historic site. Though reservations are not required for these tours, organized groups can call ahead to ensure their entire group can be accommodated.
June 29 will be Junior Ranger Day, where visitors can complete their Junior Ranger booklet and earn a New Echota Junior Ranger Badge. In order to earn a badge, visitors must participate in a mock trial at the courthouse, a lesson at the print shop, a food web activity and an archaeology lesson. The day’s events will last from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and are open to all ages.
“Introduction to Archery” is a beginner program that will be offered on July 13 for visitors to learn about archery, the history of the sport and how to shoot a bow and arrow at a target. This program is intended for children over 6 years old and will last from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
On July 20, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Kids’ Day will be offered for children ages 6 and older to learn about finger weaving, quill pen writing, cornhusk dolls, a knapping demonstration and a fire-starting activity.
One of New Echota’s year-round programs will also be offered during the summer – their Geocache program. Geocaching, which is comparable to a treasure hunt where you use a smart phone or GPS to track down the treasure, is offered to visitors of the site. Those who complete all History Trail caches will be eligible for a geocoin.
Take a photo of your GeoTour Time Travel Ticket and email it (along with your name and address) to parksRfun@dnr.ga.gov. They will mail a trackable History Trail Geo-Coin.
In addition to listed programs, visitors can experience a 17-minute video, museum exhibits, two nature trails and nearly a milelong walking tour of the historic grounds and buildings, including a reconstruction of the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper printing office. The historic site is a certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and provides educational opportunities for visitors to learn about the history of the Cherokee people.
Regular admission fees are required for all summer programming, though some require an extra fee to be paid. Children ages 5 and younger receive free admission. Hours of operation are TuesdaySaturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. (April-November).
For more information about the fees and summer programs available, contact the historic site at GaStateParks.org/NewEchota or call 706-624-1321.