Local History - Trail of Tears

Painting by Robert Lindneux

Approximately 10 miles from our location near Jackson Missouri is the "Trail of Tears" State Park.  In one of the saddest episodes of our brief history, men, women, and children were taken from their land and herded into the makeshift forts with minimal facilities and food.  They were forced to march over a thousand miles in horrible conditions (Some made part of the trip by boat in equally horrible conditions.).  Under the generally indifferent army commanders, human losses for the first groups of Cherokee removed were extremely high.  There was an urgent appeal made to allow the Cherokee people lead the tribe west.  They were allowed to organize into smaller groups and let them move separately through the wilderness so they could forage for food.  Although the parties left in early fall and arrived in Oklahoma during the brutal winter of 1838-39, the loss of life was greatly reduced.  About 4,000 Cherokee died as a result of the removal.  The route they traversed and the journey itself became known as the "Trail of Tears."

Grant’s Farm, originally called Whitehaven is located south of St. Louis, Missouri and named after Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States was originally owned by Grant’s wife’s parents the Dent family.  Grant lived and farmed at Whitehaven at the time he was elected President of the United States.  A 19th century farm­stead with stables and a carriage house are located on the property showing  how they lived during the mid 1800’s.

Grant’s Farm consists of 281 acres and today is committed to wildlife preservation.  Budweiser Clydesdale breed­ing and training facilities. More than 1,000 animals from six continents live here.