Steelville MO Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee
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Steelville's Connection to the Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears was a massive push by the United States government to forcibly remove all native people from the southeastern United States.
Missouri has the most miles of Trail of Tears, but only a few sites are known. The Steelville area has several known sites.
Thousands of Cherokee, Creek and enslaved people walked the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears and camped in Steelville.
Some died and were buried in Steelville, others survived the journey and built a new life in Indian Territory (Oklahoma).
The "Northern Route " of the Trail of Tears passed through Steelville Mo.
The "Northern Route " of the Trail of Tears passed through Steelville Mo.
Northern Route of the Trail of Tears passes through Crawford County MO.
Announcements

Trail of Tears Paintings Available for Purchase

Original Trail of Tears Paintings

The Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee is pleased to offer a special collection of paintings created by talented artists during the 2025 Plein Air event hosted by the Steelville Arts Council. These original works were carefully selected and purchased for resale as part of our ongoing fundraising efforts.

We invite you to participate in this online sale in support of a meaningful and lasting project for our community. Proceeds will help fund the creation and installation of a Trail of Tears monument in Steelville City Park—a place dedicated to reflection, remembrance, and education.

Your purchase directly supports this important effort, helping ensure that this chapter of history is preserved and that future generations have a place to learn, reflect, and pay tribute.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy of remembrance in Steelville.

Trail of Tears Paintings
Trail of Tears Paintings
Janice Burkemper 'Feathers & Beads' Watercolor 11x14
All items are for pickup at Gallery Zeke in Steelville, MO. Fridays and Saturdays 11 AM to 4 PM Sunday 11 AM to 3 PM Address: 110 East Main Street, Steelville, MO Other times by appointment.

You can scroll the listings and purchase below or you can go to this Shop Link. 

The monument is being designed and sculpted by Daniel Horsechief, an accomplished Cherokee artist whose work is recognized nationwide for its cultural depth and artistic excellence. His sculpture will serve as a powerful tribute to the Cherokee people who endured forced removal through Missouri, honoring both their suffering and their enduring resilience.

The monument is being designed and sculpted by Daniel Horsechief, an accomplished Cherokee artist whose work is recognized nationwide for its cultural depth and artistic excellence. His sculpture will serve as a powerful tribute to the Cherokee people who endured forced removal through Missouri, honoring both their suffering and their enduring resilience.

Donate Through Our One Hundred from One Thousand Campaign.

Thousands of Cherokee, Creek, and enslaved people walked the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears—passing through Steelville, Missouri. Their story is part of all our shared history, and it deserves to be remembered with dignity and respect.

The Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee is dedicated to preserving that memory through education, community involvement, and the creation of a lasting monument in the Steelville Community Park, one of the historic campsite locations along the Northern Route.

A project like this begins with people like you. Every act of kindness, every dollar, and every moment of your time moves this monument closer to reality. Together, we can ensure this shared history is not forgotten—and create a place of reflection and compassion for generations to come.

The goal of this campaign is to receive a $100 donation from 1,000 people. Please be one of our “One Hundred From One Thousand” donors to complete our project and share our message with our friends via email, social media, and in person. 

Trail of Tears Paintings
Trail of Tears Paintings

Why We Use Zeffy

Note on Fees: 100% of your donation goes directly to the Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee. Zeffy is a free platform that does not charge us processing fees. At checkout, Zeffy will ask for an optional “contribution” to keep their services free for nonprofits. This is entirely voluntary and can be changed to $0 by selecting “Other” in the dropdown menu.

Thank you!

Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee YouTube Chanel

One Hundred from One Thousand

One Hundred from One Thousand

Please support the “One Hundred from One Thousand” campaign currently being conducted by the Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee to help bring a Trail of Tears monument to the Steelville Community Park. You can join this grassroots fundraising effort by not only making a donation, but also by sharing this information in your social media or texting your friends, family members, and everyone in your contact list. Donations can be made at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/steelville-trail-of-tears-one-hundred-from-one-thousand

Proposed design for “The Trail” 10ft Bronze Sculpture by Cherokee/Pawnee artist Daniel HorseChief
Proposed design for “The Trail” 10ft Bronze Sculpture by Cherokee/Pawnee artist Daniel HorseChief
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What can we learn from archeological sites like those in Steelville, Missouri?

Trail of Tears, Steelville, MO. On the ground, no dig, investigations.
Trail of Tears, Steelville, MO. On the ground, no dig, investigations.
  • There are no accounts telling us how the Cherokee setup their encampments or what they had with them.

  • Discarded items give archeologists a window into the past. By the time they got to Steelville, things had started to break beyond repair.

  • Where and how they set up camp speaks powerfully to the question: “How do we keep as many people alive as possible while on this journey ?

  • Archeologist Erin Whitson is the first in her field to focus on what the experience was like for people walking the path westward.

Why is Erin Whitson’s work in Steelville, Missouri important nationally?

Season Two of My Ozarks, Episode 11: Erin Whitson

This episode introduces Archaeologist Erin Whitson, the first in her field to focus on finding and interpreting historic encampment sites along the Trail of Tears to learn what the experience was like for people walking the path westward.

“What I'd also really like is to help Cherokee people feel like they have a spot here.” – Erin Whitson

  • Archeologist Erin Whitson has worked for years with members of the Cherokee Nation, and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, to identify tools and methods to authenticate sites like Steelville and interpret what they find.
  • These are nonrenewable resources, graves and encampments that speak to an important time in our nation’s history that we need to remember.
  • Steelville, a town of 1,500 people in Crawford County, Missouri. Steelville is located along the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears where thousands of Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), and their enslaved people camped during the forced removal of Native people from the southeastern United States.

Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee. You Can Help!

Proposed design for “The Trail” 10ft Bronze Sculpture by Cherokee/Pawnee artist Daniel HorseChief
Proposed design for “The Trail” 10ft Bronze Sculpture by Cherokee/Pawnee artist Daniel HorseChief

The Steelville Trail of Tears Remembrance Committee is raising $200,000 to place a permanent monument at one of the encampment sites.

Renowned Cherokee and Pawnee artist Daniel HorseChief has created the conceptual design for an bronze sculpture titled “The Trail”.

The sculpture depicts a falcon rising from tears and flames like an ascending phoenix, with figures representing the diversity of human experiences along the Trail of Tears.

All donations will benefit the establishment of the planned monument.

More About Us

Checks can be made payable to: STV HS ToT Memorial, and mailed to:
Steelville Area Historical Society,
18 Cedar Lane
Steelville, Mo 65565. 

Donations may be dropped at any 
First Community National Bank Branch.

Venmo Via Web

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