Murphy – The afternoon of July 13 was hot, but that didn’t stop about 50 people from making their way to the L&N Depot for the unveiling ceremony of a new wayside sign.
Mayor Tim Radford opened the ceremony, followed with a prayer offered by Dr. Tom Belt, a Cherokee Indian elder. Several guest speakers followed.
The attendees listened intently as a brief history of the Trail of Tears explained that in 1838, about 3,000 Cherokees were removed from the Valleys and river-ways in western North Carolina.
Dr. Sue Abram, an instructor at Western Carolina University and president of the N.C. Trail of Tears Association, was on hand.
“Fort Butler and Murphy is where all of those people came from different forts and homesteads to make the march originally over Unicoi Gap into Tennessee. They encamped in the summer to be removed in the fall on the northern route going to Indian territory, which is now present-day Oklahoma,” Abram said.
The Unicoi Turnpike was one of the removal routes out of North Carolina for the Cherokees. The Unicoi Turnpike wayside sign is one of 17 other signs around the region, including one in Unaka as well as three at the Andrews rest stop, each telling a different aspect of the Trail of Tears.
Many died on the trail in route to Oklahoma. The Unicoi Turnpike wayside sign brings awareness to their tragic plight.
Dianne Wells, a member of the N.C. Trail of Tears Association and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, recognized Ginger Abernathy and Grace Hawkins in honor of their longtime service to the chapter.
Wells also presented memorial recognition to the granddaughter of the late Mary Ann Thompson, Wendy Ward and her family. Mary Ann tirelessly and successfully advocated for the inclusion of North Carolina as part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.
Together, Radford and the Thompson family unveiled the Unicoi Turnpike sign, beside the wayside exhibit acknowledging the nearby site of Fort Butler.
After the sign’s unveiling and dedication, a guided walk was led by Dr. Brett Riggs, Distinguished Sequoyah Professor at Western Carolina. The walk varied in length to suit the individual needs of the participants, given each one’s ability and the heat of the day.
The Unicoi Turnpike Wayside Exhibit Dedication was hosted by the Town of Murphy. Funding for signs and their upkeep is acquired through fundraising, events and grants, with 100 percent of the proceeds go to that purpose.
Details: Visit nctrailoftears.org and read the fundraising booklet A Guide to the Trail of Tears in North Carolina: Removal, Resistance and Revival.