History of the Cherokee Promenaders

History about the Cherokee Promenaders!

The Cherokee Promenaders Square Dance Club has been a part of the Gordon County community since 1968. The club was founded by Calhoun residents Farrell Palmer, a square dance enthusiast, and Billy Bearden, recreation director, who believed a western-style square dance club would be an asset to the area. Mr. Bearden contacted Roy Hawes of Ringgold, Georgia, along with Jim Wood of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to help organize the first class of five square dance groups in Calhoun in June 1968. The club adopted the name Cherokee Promenaders and originally met every Thursday in the Field House.

Over the years, the club met in several locations throughout Calhoun, including the Civic Center, the Line Street School gym, the Field House, and later the Calhoun-Gordon County Recreation Department, where they danced for many years. Alongside square dancing, members also became involved in round dancing, with instruction beginning in 1969. The Cherokee Promenaders joined both the Chattanooga Area Square Dance Association and the Georgia State Square Dance Association, helping connect local dancers with clubs across Northwest Georgia and Tennessee.

The club quickly became known for hosting community dances and special events. Their first annual Thanksgiving Dance was held in November 1969, and they later welcomed hundreds of visitors to regional dances featuring guest callers from across the country. Through the decades, the Cherokee Promenaders have continued to preserve the tradition, fellowship, and fun of square dancing in Northwest Georgia.

Since 2024, the Cherokee Promenaders have made the Harris Arts Center their home. The club now meets every Thursday at the Harris Arts Center, with classes beginning at 6 PM followed by dancing at 7 PM. Prior to moving to the HAC, the club danced for many years at the Calhoun Recreation Department.