Summerville Fire Chief Robbie Lathem has been featured in the Cherokee Phoenix – the oldest Native American newspaper in the United States.  The paper has been published since the 1820’s and the modern version includes an online paper.

Lathem, who is a member of the Cherokee Nation, serves as Summerville’s Chief – a position he has held since 2016.  Lathem told the Native American paper about his role as fire chief in Chattooga County’s county seat and his interest in family history that involves his Native American roots.

The article also emphasizes Summerville’s proximity to the former Cherokee Nation capital, “Summerville is located 22 miles west of Calhoun, Georgia, once called New Echota, a pivotal site for Cherokees as their capital and also where the Trail of Tears officially began. The Summerville city park features an 8-foot-tall, wooden statue of Cherokee linguist and scholar Sequoyah, who spent 12 years developing a syllabary, or written language, for his people. ”

You can access the online article from the Cherokee Phoenix HERE