GADSDEN, Ala. - A memorial to the Trail of Tears is set to open in Gadsden, marking the forced removal of tens of thousands of Native Americans from tribal lands in the Southeast to the Oklahoma territory in the 1830s.
The Gadsden Times reports that the Trail of Tears Memorial will open Saturday at the Elliot Community Center.
The memorial features 30 metal panels that depict the hardships of the Trail of Tears. The panels were designed by Etowah Historical Society President Danny Crownover, who has Native American lineage on both sides of his family.
Crownover said the memorial is set up like a trail, designed to help visitors understand the hardships experienced along the trail. The exhibit also has numerous drawings depicting the Native Americans' way of life.