Only Missouri has a Hildebrand Route on the National Historic Trail in the nine Trail of Tears states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

The three-mile stretch of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail on the Hildebrand Route starts along Shepard’s Mountain Road (County Road 103) as it leaves Missouri Highway 21 West in Pilot Knob just North of Ironton in the Upper Arcadia Valley.

The Peter Hildebrand Detachment was officially organized Oct. 23, 1838. Then on Nov. 5, 1838 the Hildebrand Detachment left for Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.

Hildebrand left the Northern Route as the fires were burning near Fredericktown, in Madison County, on Jan. 22, 1839. They camped in the Upper Arcadia Valley near what is today Fort Davidson State Historic Site and Pilot Knob on Knob Creek and departed North around Shepard’s Mountain. Theodore Pease Russell recorded in his diary about the Cherokee visit to the Upper Arcadia Valley.

John Buford sold fodder to the detachment near Lesterville in Reynold’s County.

Hildebrand headed west on the ridge roads fording the Big Piney River at Boiling Springs in Texas County. The detachment passed through and crossed Beaver Creek at Old Astoria in Wright County. They camped a month in the valley on Missouri’s Gasconade River, at Camp Branch, too sick and cold to travel. Hypothermia and disease killed 55 Cherokees, as reported in the May 1, 1995 issue of the National Geographic.

A Robinett Journal was found a few years ago that recorded that Jesse Robnett sold fodder to the detachment at the campsite by the Robinette farm east of Hartville.

It was reported in a journal that the Hildebrand Detachment was five miles away on another road before it returned to the Northern Route (the St. Louis and Springfield Road) in the Kickapoo Prairie at Strafford near the Exotic Animal Paradise in Webster County. The cut-off was nearly 200 miles long that was only used by Peter Hildebrand leading his detachment.

The Hildebrand Detachment continued on by way of Springfield and on to what is now the Pea Ridge National Battlefield in Arkansas. They arrived at Woodall Farm, March 25, 1839 in Indian Territory (Oklahoma).

As soon as a detachment was organized and reported to be in readiness for moving they ceased to obtain provision from the U. S. contractors at a fort. They thenceforth were furnished food and supplies by the Cherokee Contractors for subsisting even if the Cherokees had not departed.

The United States Government paid the Cherokee Nation by cash for the Peter Hildebrand Detachment, the 12th Detachment, a total of $182,407.84 for its transportation and care. For each day from Oct. 23, 1838 to March 25, 1839 they were paid: $5 for the Conductor - $770; $3 for the Assistant Conductor - $462; $2.50 for Commissary and Wagon Master - $770; $2 for the Assistant Wagon Master - $616; $5 for the attending physician - $770; for his return and traveling expenses $120; and $2.50 an interpreter for physician - $385.

Then, from Nov. 5, 1838 to March 25, 1839, making 141 days, the government paid $5 a day for the hire of 88 Wagons and Teams for 1,766 persons and $7 allowance for the returning 40 days including travel expenses - $86,680. Forage for 881 Wagons and riding horses- $49,688.40 and Turnpike, ferriage - $1,766.

For each day rations were issued for 141 days at 40 cents a day. 16 cents was paid for Subsistence for 1766 persons for 245,474 rations for 139 days - $39,275.84. They paid a 15 cent Allowance for 3 pounds of soap to each 100 rations for a total of 7,364 pounds of soap - $1,104.60.

Captain John Page, United States disbursing agent for the Cherokee Nation on a General Winfield Scott requisitions, paid $1,357,745.86 for the 13 Detachments removed by the Cherokee Nation to Indian Territory in the Cherokee Removal.

In 2012, Green County was the first County to sign the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail across its county. In 2013 Stone County was the second county to sign its segment of the Trail.

There are over 600 miles of trails in our southern Missouri counties. Missouri has three land routes -- the Northern Route, the Hildebrand Route and the Benge Route. There is one campsite at New Madrid on the Water Route. Most of the Cherokees were removed using the Northern Route that goes from Jackson via Farmington, Potosi, St. James, Rolla, Waynesville, Springfield, Cassville, and onto Pea Ridge National Park in Arkansas.

The Benge Route goes from Belmont on the Mississippi River to Jackson, to Old Greenville, near Poplar Bluff and on to Ripley County and fords the Current River into Arkansas.

In 1839, the BB Cannon Detachment that established the Northern Route was led by the US Military. Dr. Townsend treated the sick and frail in that detachment. The Cherokees requested Congress to let them remove their own people and their wish was granted.

The 13 Detachments and conductors that removed the Cherokees West to their new home, without military escort, included: Hair Conrad and Daniel Colston; Elijah Hicks; Jesse Bushyhead; John Benge; Sittewakee; Captain Old Field; Moses Daniel; Chooalooka and (Wofford); James Brown; George Hicks; Richard Taylor; Peter Hildebrand; and John Drew.

Missouri Counties the Trail of Tears cross or touches include: Barry, Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Christian, Crawford, Dent, Green, Iron, Laclede, Madison, Mississippi, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, Saint Francois, Scott, Stone, Texas, Washington Wayne, Webster, and Wright Counties.

The Trail of Tears is just one of the seven National Historic Trails in Missouri. Others historic trails in Missouri include the American Discovery Trail, California National Historic Trail, Mormon Trail - Fort Leavenworth Road, Oregon National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail, and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

Two other famous Missouri roads are Route 66 and the Butterfield Stage -- Heritage Trail that overlap trail segments of the Trail of Tears.

For more information, call Deloris Gray Wood, president of the Dent County Historical Society and the Missouri Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association and a TOTA National Board member at 573-729-2545.