Randolph County, Missouri
Huntsville

Continue on US 24 to Huntsville. Or to follow the old road, on the west side of Moberly, turn northwest (right) unto highway JJ and take it to Huntsville. From either highway 24 or JJ, turn north (right) unto highway C, which on Main Street. Go about 1 mile to the court house, corner of Main and Library streets. The Trail of Death marker is next to the corner on the court house lawn.

Wednesday 17th Octr. [Traveled 13 miles from Moberly to Huntsville, Missouri.]

At 8 the snow commenced falling very fast. And continued during the greater part of the day. Traveling was difficult, the road being exceedingly slippery and the snow falling so fast as to render very cold and unpleasant the whole journey. At 3 o’clock we reached our encampment near Huntsville, about 13 miles from Burkhart’s. The snow at night changed to rain, which almost inundated the encampment. A quantity of straw was procured, which generally distributed throughout the camp rendered the Indians tolerably comfortable for the night.

Thursday 18th Oct. Today owing to the continued rain we were forced to remain encamped. Added to which the state of the road forbid our travel. Nothing occurred during the day, save the drunkenness of a few of the Indians who had procured liquor at Huntsville.

Huntsville, Missouri - on court house square N-3926404 W-9232668.

Boulder with metal plaque at corner of court house square. Erected in 1997 by Huntsville Historical Society. Dora May Craven headed the project committee. Notice the large arrowhead and two small arrowheads, donated by Bill Block, on the brick which says Missouri. (Photo by Bill Willard, 2004)

Huntsville, Missouri - on court house square N-3926404 W-9232668.

Huntsville 4th graders greeted the 2003 Trail of Death Commemorative Caravan with a banner: Welcome Potawatomi Caravan. Pictured above they flank the Trail of Death marker in the court house lawn as Shirley Willard tells them about Jim Thorpe, World's Greatest Athlete, whose great great grandmother was Mas-saw. Shirley's dress is a replica of that worn by Mas-saw in the picture painted by George Winter in 1837. The dress was made by an excellent seamstress, Elsie Turner, Rochester, Indiana. Mas-saw and her family went west on the forced removal known at the Trail of Death in 1838. (Photo by Bill Willard, 2003.)

Huntsville, Missouri - on court house square N-3926404 W-9232668.
(Photo by Larry Prichard, Lynn, Indiana, on Trail of Death Commemorative Caravan, 2003.)

The Huntsville Historical Museum is located in the next block north of the court house, third building on the left (west) side of the street. It is open May - October, Saturdays and Sundays, 1:30-4:30 p.m. It has a scrapbook and display about the Potawatomi Trail of Death. This Historical Society has hosted the Trail of Death Commemorative Caravan and helped erect historical markers. Their museum director, Dora May Craven, serves on the Potawatomi Trail of Death Association Board of Directors. (Photo: Dora May Craven.)

Leave Huntsville by going past the court house and turning southwest (left) unto Depot Street. Take it out of town to join highway JJ, which then joins US 24. Turn west (right) on US 24 and go to Salisbury.

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This page updated Jun 1, 2011.