Manuscripts Southern Illinois History a... Trail of Tears State Forest... Finding AidTitle: Trail of Tears State Forest collection, 1936-2002
ID: 1/6/MSS 236
Primary Creator: Trail of Tears State Forest
Other Creators: Mohlenbrock, Robert H., (1931-)
Extent: 5.0 Boxes
Arrangement: Arranged into four series: (1) Ralph Fisher, (2) K. Andrew West, (3) Annual reports, periodicals, and recreational/conservation guides, (4) maps.
Subjects: Forest management - Illinois - History, Trail of Tears State Forest
Forms of Material: Corporation records., Correspondence., Records (documents)
Languages: English
Originally called the Union County Forest, the Trail of Tears State Forest is situated in western Union County, five miles northwest of Jonesboro and 20 miles south of Murphysboro, Ill. Just over 5,000 acres are within the State Forest.
In 1936, Ralph Fisher moved to the area as the forest's first superintendent and proposed adding a nursery to the State Forest, using Civilian Conservation Corps labor. The military veterans (and later German WWII prisoners) began work on a series of roads and buildings, as well as planting trees.
With facilities up and running, the Union County Tree Nursery was able to provide millions of seedlings for reforestation projects throughout the country.
During the 1970s, the forest itself was given the name Trail of Tears State Forest in remembrance of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Creek nations who passed near the forest during the Indian relocation program of 1838.
The Trail of Tears State Forest and Nursery still operates today with Andy West serving as the site superintendent. In addition to coordinating programs regarding the site's cultural and natural history, Mr. West organized a reunion in August 1998 for individuals involved in the park's formative years.
Repository: Southern Illinois University Special Collections Research Center
Access Restrictions: Unrestricted access.
Use Restrictions: To quote in print, or otherwise reproduce in whole or in part in any publication, including on the World Wide Web, any material from this collection, the researcher must obtain permission from (1) the owner of the physical property and (2) the holder of the copyright. Persons wishing to quote from this collection should consult Special Collections Research Center to determine copyright holders for information in this collection. Reproduction of any item must contain the complete citation to the original.
Preferred Citation: [Item], Trail of Tears State Forest collection, Special Collections Research Center, Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
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