textile plants left the area, moving their jobs offshore to lower wage areas, such as Southeast Asia. The regional economy suffered. Many of the Cherokee had to rely on jobs related to national park tourism and recreation, which provided work for about half of the year. Many tribal members had to rely on public assistance to survive during the winter. Tourism Cherokee is a tourist-oriented area, located at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. In addition to the casino, it is the site of attractions such as: Cherokee Botanical Garden and Nature Trail Trail to Mount Guyot Museum of the Cherokee Indian Oconaluftee Indian Village Oconaluftee (Great Smoky Mountains) Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual Oconaluftee River Eastern Cherokee history, culture, and crafts are portrayed in the historical drama Unto These Hills, presented annually during the tourist season. The Cherokee area offers many campgrounds, trails and river adventures. It is also home to three roadside attractions with zoos: Cherokee Bear Zoo, Chief Saunooke Bear Park, and Santa's Land. The zoos have been considered controversial. Bob Barker, a retired game show host and animal rights activist, has called for closing the black bear zoos at these attractions. Cherokee Wonderland and Frontier Land were two amusement parks that operated in the area in the late 1960s and into the early 21st century, respectively. The latter was converted into a water park before being closed to make way for development of Harrah's Cherokee. When they were open, both parks featured their own narrow gauge railroads (named Cherokee Wonderland Railroad and Frontier Land Railroad). Notable people Walker Calhoun, musician, dancer, and teacher Amanda Crowe, woodcarver and educator Raymond Fairchild, banjo player Charles George, Medal of Honor recipient Leon Miller, American football player and lacrosse coach Clyde Moody, bluegrass musician Stan Powell, NFL player for the Oorang Indians William Holland Thomas, Cherokee leader and Confederate general Education Cherokee Central Schools operates the K–12 public schools. Cherokee High School is the local high school. The private elementary school, New Kituwah Academy, is based on language immersion in Cherokee. Previously the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) provided educational services, and in their schools students were not permitted to speak Cherokee. Popular culture Scenes from movies such as Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, Digging to China, Forces of Nature, The Fugitive, and Stroszek were shot