Meet the Bynums
Cherokee Village Resort
at Lake Whitney
It’s like going to visit long-time friends who greet you with open arms and gracious hospitality. Those friends welcoming you are Marshall and Patsy Bynum, owners of Cherokee Village Resort and Nature Center.
These native Texans receive you and your family and friends with warm friendliness. They are eager to share their enthusiasm for nature and the out-of-doors, and the comfort of their lodge.
Both Patsy and Marshall grew up absorbing the beauty and adventure of nature. Growing up in east Texas, Marshall became a serious angler at an early age. Hunting with his father he further developed a zest for outdoors and conservation. He’s a real Texan!
Patsy grew up fishing, too. She was on the Gulf Coast, catching crabs and salt water fish near Galveston. Marshall and Patsy were children of nature, and they carry that passion into their adult life.
Raising three sons, working in corporate America, and loving nature filled their adult lives. Marshall was in aerospace engineering, and Patsy worked in the airline industry. While earning a living, they yearned for the beauty and peace of nature.
To regenerate and recharge their corporate-weary souls, they often took their sons and dragged their boat to various Texas lakes. Adventure filled their weekends. Lake Whitney was their favorite get-away spot. The lake was close to the Metroplex, which meant less driving and more time for fun. It had deep, clear water from the Brazos River. The water temperature was also cooler than other Texas lakes, which sometimes felt like a bathtub in the summer.
“We loved the massive limestone cliffs and numerous nooks and covey holes to anchor and enjoy,” says Patsy.
After years of being visitors to Lake Whitney, Marshall and Patsy had the opportunity to jump into lake life with all four feet. They purchased Cherokee Lodge, rebuilt it, and made it their way of life. They said good-bye to stressful traffic and corporate demands.
Their children pitched-in and helped develop Cherokee Village into a rural renovation project. In addition to updating and modernizing the cabins and village houses, they enhanced the gardens and encouraged native plants. They planted wildflowers, built habitat and native wildscape gardens to attract birds and critters. The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife designated the resort as a Texas Wildscape.
Word is spreading about Cherokee Village.
“As people begin to learn about us, we attract more visitors and families who share our love of the outdoors,” says Patsy. “Family Reunions have become a major portion of our business. We continue to grow and add more features that attract naturalists.”
“As our grandson states, ‘Our lodge was built by our family to share with your family’,” says Marshall.
Come join our family.