The Georgia Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association will be marking this anniversary with a special ceremony on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. in Cedartown.
The meeting will be held at the Polk County Historical Society & Museum (formerly the Hawkes Children’s Library) at 205 North College Street in Cedartown. Call 770-749-0073 for directions.
Cedartown is also the site of one of the unfortified posts established in 1838 to aid with the Cherokee removal. The U. S. government built 10 fortified posts and four unfortified posts in Georgia.
General Winfield Scott ordered removal to begin on May 26, 1838. Cherokees were rounded up and brought to the nearest fortified post. From there they were taken to departure points in Tennessee and Alabama. On June 19, 1838 Gen. Charles Floyd reported to Gen. Scott that no Indians were left in Georgia except those too sick to travel. Of the approximately 17,000 Cherokees removed from the southeast, between 2000 and 4000 perished during or as a result of the removal process.
The Trail of Tears Association and its major partner, the National Park Service, are dedicated to identifying and preserving sites associated with the removal of Native Americans from the Southeast.
For questions about the TOTA or the May meeting, contact Linda Baker at 770-704-6338 or badnil@alltel.net.
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