National Register of Historic Places Nominations

The National Park Service, in partnership with a wide variety of state agencies, universities, and other entities, has begun an initiative to nominate properties associated with the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail to the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination process involves identifying properties of high integrity with a significant association to the Trail of Tears. Associated properties eligible for the National Register help trail enthusiasts to positively identify the Trail of Tears on the ground and promote the significance of the trail in our communities, and it may offer additional protection features to the sites.

A key feature of the initiative is the completion of the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form for the Cherokee Trail of Tears, which was entered onto the National Register on June 26, 2003. The Multiple Property Form provides historic contexts and significances for properties. And, it also identifies property types, including descriptions, resource significance statements, and nomination requirements for properties such as fort sites and emigration depots, roadbeds, ferry crossings and landings, campsites, structures, gravesites, and disbandment sites.

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program has taken a lead role in identifying and nominating eligible properties. Among those already entered onto the National Register are the Military Road through Village Creek State Park and Blackfish Lake Ferry Site (both in St. Francis County).

If you know of a property or site on the Trail of Tears that may be eligible for the National Register, please consider participating in this initiative. Download the Multiple Property Form for completion.

A selection of National Register of Historic Places nominations for sites on the Trail of Tears is available here.

Visit the National Register of Historic Places website at http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr  for more information. Or, contact Aaron Mahr in the National Trails System-Santa Fe, at 505-988-6736.