Shirley Willard, Fulton County Historian, 3063 S 425 E, Rochester, Indiana, 46975, phone 574-223-2352 is organizing the itinerary for the 7th Potawatomi Trail of Death Commemorative Caravan. It will begin the day after the Trail of Courage Living History Festival at the Fulton County Historical Society, Rochester, Sept. 15-16. This festival portrays frontier Indiana with historic camps, tradition crafts, pre-1840 music, two stages, Indian dances in special arena, foods cooked over wood fires, many wooden booths and trade blankets. The caravan will begin Monday Sep 17 with ceremony at Chief Menominee statue at Twin Lakes near Plymouth at 9 a.m. The caravan will travel through Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, ending Sep 22 at St. Philippine Duchesne Memorial Park, the former Sugar Creek Mission, near Osawatomie, Kansas. To register to go on the caravan, see www.potawatomi-tda.org.

Itinerary for Trail of Death caravan 2018
Subject to change. Note that times are estimates. Please allow the caravan 30 to 60 minutes leeway to arrive at places designated. If time does not allow us to stop, we will have to drive by. If there are people waiting to see us, one of the caravan members will stop to talk to them and catch up with us later. When we drive by, history of the site will be read on CB radio channel 14. Other history and directions will be given so keep your CB on. Bill Willard’s cell phone is 574-230-3131.George Godfrey’s cell is 217-502-9340. Motel reservations must be made and paid for by individuals. Some of the meals are provided free by local groups and others must be paid by individual.
Sep 17 Monday:
7:30 a.m. Meet at Fulton County Museum, Rochester, Indiana, to get organized, registered, instructions.
8:00 Leave FCHS, drive to Menominee statue on Peach Road.
9 a.m. Ceremony at Chief Menominee statue. George Schricker will sing his song “Menomnee.”
10:00 Start on caravan, going through Twin Lakes, then on Michigan Road south through Argos.
10:30 Stop at Tippecanoe River on Old 31 (Michigan Road) north of Rochester, first night’s camp on Trail of Death.
11:15 Stop at Trail of Death historical markers at Rochester courthouse, parking on Main Street or nearby side streets as needed.
11:30 Drive by Trail of Death at Mud Creek, then through Fulton. Drive by the Trail of Death marker at Logansport hospital, corner of hospital grounds.
12:00 Eat lunch at Logansport Hospital. Vincent Barrett will show us the location of 2 Indian babies buried across the street.
1:30 Follow Trail of Death highway signs through Georgetown along Wabash River, stop at Winamac’sOld village on Tow Path Road, Burnett Creek Arch, Pleasant Run, drink water at Pittsburg flowing well.
3:00 Stop at Battle Field Park, Battle Ground, drive by Prophets Rock,
4:00 Visit Prophetstown State Park - Circle of Stones
6:30 Eat at Lafayette. Supper provided by National Center for Great Lakes Native American Culture at First United Methodist Church, 1700 State Road 26 West, West Lafayette IN 47906. State Road 26 West cuts through Purdue Campus. The church is on the north side of the road BEFORE the new US 231. NCGLNAC vice chairman Linda Andrews, 765-427-9324. Students of Purdue Native American Center and others have been invited.
Spend night at Hampton Inn, 765-447-1600, 3941 South Street, Lafayette, IN
Sep 18 Tuesday:
7:30 Breakfast in Motel, Lafayette.
8:00 Follow Trail of Death highway signs and drive by Trail of Death markers in Lafayette.
9:00 Lagrange historical marker where Ed Earl the donkey lives; he comes braying out to greet us.
9:30 Independence historical marker in park at left.
10:00 Stop at Williamsport at Old Town Park on Main & Old 2nd St., follow Trail of Death highway signs along Wabash River on way to Gopher Hill Cemetery.
11:00 Stop at Gopher Hill Cemetery on 900 W which is 1 frac12; miles east of Indiana-Illinois state line. Follow Trail of Death highway signs to Danville. Indiana is on Eastern Daylight Time but Illinois is on Central Time so we have 11 o’clock twice.
11:00 Trail of Death historic highway sign in Danville at Turtle Run Golf Course, 332 E Liberty Lane.
12:00 Lunch at Danville, in Charlotte’s Restaurant. 402 N. Gilbert St. Take Vermilion St. south from Turtle Run down to Fairchild and turn right (west) and then back left (south) on Gilbert, Charlotte’s is approximately a quarter mile down the road on the right hand side. This restaurant is owned by Ryan Quick, grandson of Paul Quick who erected the Trail of Death marker at Ellsworth Park in 1993.
1:30 Follow Trail of Death through Danville’s Ellsworth Park, walk to bridge to see TD marker.
2:00 Drive by Trail of Death markers in Catlin, Sidney, Sidorus.
3:00 Drive by first Trail of Death marker at Monticello on 100 block of East Bridge Street by steel fence, and second Trail of Death marker at City Cemetery, Railroad Street, one block from railroad overpass.
4:00 Visit Sangamon River Crossing marker.
5:00 Visit Mueller Park, Decatur, to see Trail of Death marker & talk to Millikin University people.
6:00 Sarah Crockarell leads Caravan to University Commons, Banquet Rooms, Millikin University, 1184 W. Main St,. Decatur, IL 62522. Meet with Dale Travis, our PTDA webmaster. Dale has done our website as an unpaid volunteer for many years. Shirley Willard emails him the photos and words so he can put them on this website. Dale lives in Harristown.
6:15 Dinner with MU students/faculty/staff (generously catered by the Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement!)
6:30 Talk on Potawatomi Trail of Death, Potawatomi history (George Godfrey and Shirley Willard and others).
7:00 Q&A Session with Millikin U students/faculty/staff.
8:00 Caravaners can connect with MU hosts for overnight stay.
Spend night at Country Inn Suites,217-872-2402, 5150 Hickory Point Frontage Rd, Decatur, IL
Sep 19 Wednesday:
7:30 Breakfast in Decatur motel.
8:00 Drive through Niantic, past Trail of Death marker in park.
9:00 Walk around Old State Capital plaza in Springfield to see Trail of Death plaque in Kiosk, plaque sponsored by Pokagon Potawatomi.
11:00 Visit Riddle Hill and Island Grove markers.
12:00 Lunch at Capone’s Hideout, 201 W Illinois St., New Berlin, IL 62670, (217)488-6121.
1:00 Visit Robert Hitt farm which has huge trees that were there in 1838, TD marker by driveway. He will greet us and tell history of the trees.
2:30 Visit Jacksonville’s Foreman Grove Park and town square.
3:00 Drive by Trail of Death marker at Exeter.
3:30 Drive by Trail of Death marker at Naples, stop at Illinois River crossing. We must go over the river on bridge at Meredocia.
4:00 Visit Perry - Mountain family is expecting us.
4:30 Drive by Liberty Trail of Death marker in Liberty town park.
5:00 Drive by Mill Creek Trail of Death marker on left side of two lane highway - can’t stop.
5:30 Stop at St. Boniface Church in Quincy - Trail of Death marker out front.
5:45 If time permits, Drive through the Mounds Park to see Trail of Death plaque.
6:30 Community potluck picnic at Quinsippi Island Park, thanks to Friends of Log Cabins Assn., led by John Gebhardt of www.logcabinvillagequincyil.com. 1-800-978-4748 or 217-223-9078.
Spend night in Hampton Inn Quincy, 217-224-8378, 225 S. 4th Street, Quincy, IL.
Sep 20 Thursday:
8:00 Leave motel, cross Mississippi River to West Quincy, Mo. Get gas at the 2nd Ayerco station - this is the one that has the Trail of Death marker.
9:00 Drive by Trail of Death marker near Palmyra, Mo.
9:30 Breakfast at Hardee’s Restaurant in Palmyra, Mo. with Heritage Seekers.
10:30 Visit the Big Spring Park at Palmyra where the Potawatomi camped in 1838.
11:30 Visit Clifford & Josephine Gander (deceased) now Alice Gander’s farm overlooking trail of 1838. Eat lunch at Gander’s.
1:00 Drive by See’s Creek marker at U.M. Church.
1:30 Follow Trail of Death through county - TD marker at Old Clinton - on way to Paris.
2:30 Stop at Paris courthouse with Trail of Death marker out front, see museum display in courthouse. Walk across street to the library and research center.
3:30 Visit Moberly Trail of Death marker at new location, Rothwell Park between the Moberly Aquatic Center and Howard Hills Athletic Complex. It is set right near the highway on the paved walking trail. The best place to park would be at the Moberly Aquatic Center (100 Rothwell Park Road) which is at the corner of Rothwell Park Road and Highway 24. Folks can then cross Rothwell Park Road and follow the walking trail to the west and the monument is right along the trail probably 200 yards down.
6:00 Eat supper at Moberly, Felicia Restaurant, 1461 Highway JJ, hosted by Randolph County Historical Society, Joyce A. Cooper-Campbell, president, and Joe Barnes.
Spend night at Comfort Inn (Rooms held under Trail of Death Assoc.), 660-269-9700, 1801 W. Outer Road, Moberly, MO
Sep 21 Friday:
7:30 breakfast in Motel, Moberly, Mo.
8:00 Follow Trail of Death through Huntsville.
8:15 Drive by TD marker at Huntsville courthouse, visit Huntsville museum, meet Joe Barnes to memorialize Margaret Block, who owned land where Potawatomi camped on Trail of Death - we camped there in 1988 on caravan.
9:00 Drive by Salisbury Trail of Death marker at Scout cabin.
9:30 Drive by Trail of Death marker in Keytesville on corner of Bridge St. & Park St.
10:30 Stop at Brunswick boat ramp & Trail of Death marker. Don Riddle, PTDA board member, will meet us.
11:30 Eat lunch at DeWitt Community Center, DeWitt Town Park, 7th and Jefferson streets. Talk to school kids brought by buses.
1:00 Visit Carrollton - Carroll County Museum, 510 N Mason St.
2:00 Visit Trail of Death marker at Richmond High School, 551 E South St.
2:30 Cross Missouri River, drive by Trail of Death marker beside Madonna of the Trail in Lexington.
3:00 Drive by Wellington and Napoleon Trail of Death markers.
4:00 Near Buckner - go back lane to see Trail of Death marker at Fire Prairie Creek Wetland Park - Gene Pittman will meet us with ice water.
4:45 Lake City Bicycle park - walk over bridge and on path to Trail of Death marker.
5:30 Visit historical marker & cabin at Pioneer Spring Park in Independence.
6:30 Eat supper in National Frontier Trails Museum, 318 West Pacific Ave., Independence, phone 816-325-7575. We will order food at HyVee on 1525 East 23rd Street and Leah Palmer will pick it for us so we can eat in the museum. Then we will give a program to tell about the Potawatomi Trail of Death in 1838.
Spend night at Quality Inn & Suites East, 4200 S. Noland, Independence, Mo. ph 816-373-8856.
Sep 22 Saturday:
7:30 breakfast in motel, Independence, Mo.
8:00 Follow Trail of Death through Grandview, Mo., pausing (view from car) at the Red Bridge, Trail of Death marker.
8:45 Drive by marker at Heritage Park, 13833 W 159th Terrace, Olathe, Kansas.
9:30 Visit Miami County Swan River Museum, 12 E. Peoria St., Paola; see Trail of Death marker in Park Square across the street. If time, walk down the street to get World’s Biggest Chocolate Chip Cookie in Beethoven’s restaurant, 110 W. Peoria St.
11:00 Drive by Old Land Office on North 6th St., Osawatomie, Kansas.
11:15 Lunch at Osawatomie City Auditorium, corner of 5th and Main. Band of Oz will play. Host: Rev. John Wastlund 913-549-3411 and Osawatomie Ministerial Assn.
12:30 Follow Trail of Death signs to St. Philippine Duchesne Memorial Park (Sugar Creek Mission) in rural Linn County. We will have time to walk the grounds, seeing all the historical markers, the seven crosses with the names of Potawatomi who died there, the 14 Stations of the Cross, and down the steep rocky trail to Sugar Creek to see the Indian well.
2:00 Mass at St. Philippine Duchesne Memorial Park, 1525th Road (former Keokuk Road) in rural Linn County. Mass will be by Father Barry Clayton, pastor of three local Catholic parishes. Then tour Sacred Heart Church in Mound City, KS.
4:30 Potluck supper - hosted by Linn County Historical Society. In the afternoon most will say farewell and head for individual homes. We pray all will have a safe journey. Blessings to all.
To stay the night, The Country Vintage Inn, 1117 6th St., Osawatomie, KS 66064, (913) 755-2400.
If you have time, you may want to visit Sugar Creek Country Store, old fashioned country store, 505 W. Bertrand Ave., St Marys Kansas. It closes at 7 p.m.
This page updated Aug 30, 2018.