National Register Record for ILLINOIS CAMPGROUND

Historic Name: ILLINOIS CAMPGROUND
Current Name: SAME
Address: 1 MILE NORTH OF TAHLEQUAH
City: TAHLEQUAH VICINITY            County: CHEROKEE
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE ILLINOIS CAMPGROUND SERVED AS A DISBANDMENT SITED ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHEROKEE TRAIL OF TEARS OF 1839. AT DISBANDMENT SITES LIKE THIS, THE DETACHMENTS OF NATIVE AMERICANS WERE OFFICIALLY TURNED OVER TO U.S. GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY AUTHORITIES. FROM THESE LOCATIONS THE CHEROKEE DISPERSED THROUGHOUT INDIAN TERRITORY TO BEGIN THEIR NEW LIVES IN THE WEST. THE LAST DETACHMENT OF CHEROKEE SETTLERS WERE DISBANDED FROM THIS PARTICULAR SITE. THIS DETACHMENT WAS LED BY CAPTAIN JOHN DREW AND INCLUDED CHEROKEE CHIEF JOHN ROSS AND HIS FAMILY. THIS DETACHMENT LEFT TENNESSEE IN DECEMBER BUT DID NOT REACH THIS SITE UNTIL MARCH 18, 1839. THE ILLINOIS CAMPGROUND WAS ALSO THE SITE WHERE THE CHEROKEE NATIONAL CONVENTION WAS HELD IN JULY 1839. THIS CONVENTION HELPED BRING ABOUT A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN DIFFERENT FACTIONS OF CHEROKEES WHO HAD BEEN FIGHTING OVER THE TRIBAL TREATY WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. TODAY, THIS SITE IS AGRICULTURAL PASTURELAND AND HAS BEEN RELATIVELY UNDISTURBED. LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER 12/6/2004.

Type: SITE
Historic Function: DOMESTIC: CAMP
Current Function: AGRICULTURE/SUBSISTENCE: AGRICULTURAL FIELD
Area of Significance 1: ETHNIC HERITAGE: NATIVE AMERICAN
Area of Significance 2: None
Architectural Style: None
Architect: None
Year Built: 1839            Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD
Restricted: N
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: JUNE 30, 2004