Perry County to install seven Trail of Tears historic markers
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
PERRYVILLE, Mo. (KBSI) – Perry County plans to install seven official Trail of Tears National Historic Trail signs along county roads to recognize routes traveled by Cherokee people during their forced removal in the 1830s.
The project is a partnership between the Perry County Commission, Perry County Heritage Tourism, the Missouri Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association and the National Park Service.
Perry County commissioners recently met with Heritage Tourism Director Trish Erzfeld and Dolores Gray Wood, former president of the Missouri Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association, to discuss the installation.
Wood has spent years identifying and documenting Trail of Tears routes throughout Missouri. She has also served on the national Trail of Tears Association’s board.
The Trail of Tears refers to the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States during the 1830s.
Following the Indian Removal Act of 1830, approximately 16,000 Cherokee people were forcibly removed to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. An estimated 4,000 died from disease, harsh conditions and other hardships during the journey.
Several of the historic routes passed through Southeast Missouri, including Perry County.
Congress designated the Trail of Tears as a National Historic Trail in 1987 to commemorate the history and experiences of the Cherokee people.
“As stewards of our heritage, we have a responsibility to preserve and share the full story of our past. These markers help ensure that the history, sacrifice, and resilience of the Cherokee people are never forgotten,” Erzfeld said.
The National Park Service is providing the seven signs, which will be installed along designated county road rights of way by the Perry County Road and Bridge Department.
Once installed, the markers will join a network of Trail of Tears National Historic Trail signs throughout Missouri and other states along the historic routes.
An installation timeline has not been announced.
