Landmark's Projects

The Opening Ceremony for the Benge Detachment Trail of Tears Route

1837 - Late in 1837, Federal troops arrive to construct the fort.

	Trail of Tears driving directions are available as a PDF document by clicking here. You must have the Adobe reader to view PDF documents. Adobe is available as a download at this link.

Landmarks of DeKalb County, along with the National Park Service and the Alabama Trail of Tears Association, hosted the opening ceremony of the Benge Route of the Trail of Tears on June 23, 2012. The ceremony was held at the Cabin Site, Landmarks’ property at the end of 4th Street S. and Gault Ave. in Fort Payne, containing the old cabin foundation and chimney, which is now an officially certified historic site on the Trail of Tears Historic Trail.

The Cabin Site in Fort Payne, Alabama.

Presentations were by members of Landmarks, the Alabama Trail of Tears Association, archaeologist Sharon Freeman and the National Park Service.

Most of the people who attended the opening in Fort Payne drove the newly opened Benge Route to it’s end at Guntersville Lake in Marshall County where a reception was held at the State Lodge.

For driving directions, click here.

To see the video coverage from Huntsville WHNT news, click here.

People gather next to the Cabin’s chimney.