09/17/07
Friday afternoon ancestors of those who walked the Potawatomi Trail of Death in 1838 joined with Mike Woolfington head of the Marshall County Tourism office, Kate Finney from the Marshall County Historical Society and others to dedicate nine trail markers in Marshall County.
The dedication ceremony took place at the foot of the Chief Menominee statue at 4 p.m. Mike Woolfington welcomed everyone and said, "We must preserve the history of those who walked the dreaded trail in 1838."
Kate Finney from the museum said, "These markers will bring history alive, and help to continue to promote the importance of the Native American communities, relationships, and leaders that were in our county."
Shirley Willard from the Fulton County Historical Society was instrumental in the initiative to place markers along the 660 miles through 25 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. She gave a brief history…Chief Menominee had refused to sign the treaties giving up the land. His village of 4 wig -wams grew to over 100 as other Indians joined the resistance. On September 5th, 1838 the Potawatomis were rounded up at gun point and marched to Kansas on the Trail of Death."
Willard spoke of the Trail of Courage festival this past weekend in Fulton County and how they placed trail markers in their county last year. She also said that she has been working Carroll County to get the signs erected next year.
Dr. George Godfrey from the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and Mr. Smokey McKinney from the Prairie Bank of Potawatomi blessed each of the signs along the trail.
