DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — A preexisting monument acknowledging the forced removal of the Potawatomi people now has a new sign. Supporters hope that the sign will bring more attention to the often-overlooked memorial.
Located in the south end of Mueller Park, the boulder provides information and powerful quotes about the Potawatomi Trail of Death.
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The trail was mostly walked by over 800 Potawatomi people who were forcibly removed from their land in Indiana. The trek from Indiana to northeastern Kansas measured around 660 miles.
According to a map on the Potawatomi Trail of Death Association, the route went through Danville, Sidney, Monticello, Decatur, Springfield, and Jacksonville.
One of the quotes, written in September of 1838, makes note of a stop in Decatur, "Distance traveled today fourteen miles. We are now encamped near Decatur, Illinois, forty miles from Springfield. A child died after dark..."
On Wednesday, a sign was erected to draw more attention to the low-profile monument.
George Godfrey, the president of the Potawatomi Trail of Death Association was in attendance as was State Rep. Sue Scherer.
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