This year’s 45-minute walk of reconciliation features a major new historical milestone: a new route that has officially been designated as part of the Northern route of the National Park Service’s National Historic Trail network and the addition of seven new trail signs. The trail will partially follow an accessible 0.75-mile paved greenway loop.
The commemorative walk begins at 2:00 p.m. at Fontanel Greenway located at 4125 Whites Creek Pike. Following the walk, all attendees are invited to a special reception at historic Cedarwood, located at 3831 Whites Creek Pike. Cedarwood is notable as one of seven “witness structures” still standing in the unique community of Whites Creek that directly date back to the Trail of Tears event, during which Cherokee detachments camped along the banks of Whites Creek.
This year’s event carries profound historical significance as it marks the official integration of Whites Creek into the National Park Service’s Trail of Tears route. The community will also celebrate the installation of brand-new official signs marking the trail route through the area.
This historic designation was made possible through the dedicated efforts of Pat Cummings and the Native American History Association, who painstakingly verified the exact trail locations passing through Davidson County.
Zan Martin, local resident and member of Friends of Whites Creek, says, “This event is officially sanctioned by the Tennessee State Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association. We sincerely hope that members of the community and local media will join us as we share a somber time of remembrance for those who suffered during the Trail of Tears and to also appreciate that more is being accomplished to preserve this sacred history.”
For more event information, please contact Whites Creek Historical Society President, Marsha Murphy, at 615.424.6495.
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