Greetings from Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

It was really moving. I stared to tear up because it was that moving. I will continue to read more about it. My mom really enjoyed as well along with my grandparents.

Sincerely,
Kate

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

This trail memorializes one of the darkest chapters in American history. In 1838, the U.S. government forced more than 16,000 Cherokee Indians from their homelands in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and marched them to what is now Oklahoma. The trip alone killed hundreds of Native Americans; thousands more died afterward. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail traces their route to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the current capital of the Cherokee Nation. An exhibit at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah features 16,000 hand-crafted beads representing the people who made that awful journey.

State(s): Alabama Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee,

Established: 1987

“You learn a lot.”

National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!

{{ active ? "Cancel" : "Begin"}}

Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.

You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.

In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!

Here’s your unique story page link:

{{ storyUrl }}

* indicates Required fields

Click to choose a file to upload

Submitting your story means that you agree to our Terms of Service

More Stories

  • Greetings from Glacier National Park

    Glacier National Park has been on my bucket list for years and last year my boyfriend and I went on a road trip to see and we left as fiancées!! I love the mountains and Going to the Sun Road was one of the most beautiful places I have ever…

  • Greetings from Grand Canyon National Park

    Nothing prepared me for the grandeur of the GrandCanyon. Standing on the south rim, the development of the earth through the ages was laid out like a geology book in technicolor.

  • Greetings from Kettle Creek Battlefield

    By Retired Col. Irma Hagans Cooper, former member of NPCA’s Pacific Regional Council MAMMY KATE, Enslaved Patriot of the Revolutionary War Mammy Kate was a Black woman enslaved by Colonel Stephen Heard of Georgia, a man who would later become governor of the state. Before she was kidnapped, sold, and…

Donate

Preserve Our Parks

Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.

Donate Now