We will began our adventure with a week long symposium offered by
the National Trail of Tears Association at their annual conference.
The meeting will be hosted by the Oklahoma State Chapter of the association. We
will be meeting at the camp grounds near Westen Hills Lodge where the
conference is being held. The lodge is located twelve miles west of Tahlequah, Ok. on
state highway 51.
We will head east on 51 to 62 east in Tahlequah which is the beginning
of the auto tour route and continue to highway 59 north just west of
Westville to West Siloam Springs, Ok. Taking 422 west to Springdale, Ar.
Perhaps we can do an arts and craft festival as a fundraiser for
the walk itself. I would like funds to have a van accompany to get water,haul cooking supplies,
locate camp sites, ect. to make our trip more pleasant. I have a dependable van that can be used
but I prefer to walk. I do know a few people in that area that maybe willing to help.
Starting here, we will be on the auto tour route again heading north on 71/62 until Monett, Mo. Taking 60
north from there, we will continue to Springfield, Mo. where a Pow Wow is being
hosted by American Indian Center of Springfield.
Leaving the auto tour route, we will continue east on highway 60
until Cabool where we will be turning north on 63 until Licking, Mo. From
there we turn east on 32 to 21 south near Belleview to 72 east at Ironton, Mo.
At the intersection of 67 and and 72 we will again be returning to the auto tour route.
Continuing on 72 east into Cape Girardeau, Mo., where will make our way to the
Trail of Tears SP.
An event is being planned there by the Northern Cherokee of Missouri.
{Details of which are not available at this time.}
We are attempting to get ferryed across the Mississippi River from
there as before but a ferry no longer exists. If unable to secure transportation,
we will continue on across the bridge onto highway 146 to Vienna, Il. with a
short detour for the particpants into the Trail of Tears SP. An event is in the
making at Vienna which will be hosted by the state chapter of the Trail of Tears
Assoc.
{Details are also unavailable at this time.}
Traveling east on 146 to Golconda, Il. We will again be attempting
to get ferryed across the Ohio River into Kentucky as before and take 60 east
and south on 91. But if unable to acquire transportation across because
there is no longer a ferry here either, we will continue on with the auto tour
route and cross the river onto highway 91 south. We travel through Princeton
and on into Hopkinsville, Ky. Another arts and craft festival is planned here
as well and hosted by the Trail of Tears Commission.
Leaving Hopkinsville, we will travel south on 431 into Nashville,
Tn. A Pow Wow is being proposed here by the Tennesse Chapter of the Trail of
Tears Assoc.
We will be departing Nashville on 41/70S to McMinnville. Separating once
again from the auto tour route, we will take 8 south from Mcminnville to 127
south on into Chattanooga, Tn. We have a cultural event and a Pow Wow
scheduled here.
The state chapter of the Trail of Tears Assoc. is hosting this one as well.
And finally, our journey ends at a long standing cultural event at the
Red Clay Historical Area.
{Details of the route to here from Chattanooga have not been decided at this point.}
