BRIDGEPORT, Ala — For the thirtieth time as an officially-sanctioned event, motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country gathered in North Alabama for the commemorative Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride, which takes riders from Bridgeport to Waterloo.
Festivities began Friday with a kick-off rally in downtown Bridgeport ahead of the Saturday morning ride. The rally included live music, street dances, fireworks and other family-friendly activities.
According to a briefing from Huntsville Police, event organizers expected up to 10,000 motorcycles to ride through the city limits during its portion of the trail. By comparison, the inaugural ride in 1994 saw only about 100 participants.
The town of Waterloo is holding an Indian Festival through Sunday's festivities, presented by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission. Highlights of the festival include a "living history" exhibit of a soldier encampment, as well as demonstrations from Native American artisans and vendors. Saturday's bill of fare included a memorial walk to honor those who took the original "Trail of Tears."
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 called for the removal of all Indians from the eastern United States to the state of Oklahoma, whether voluntary or by force. In May 1838, the deadline for voluntary native removal, prompted the Cherokee "Trail of Tears," known as one of the darkest episodes in relations between the United States and Native Americans.
It was during that year that the U.S. government hired wagon master J.C.S. Hood to transport Native Americans by foot and wagon from Ross's Landing in Chattanooga, Tennessee to what is now Waterloo. Much of the journey followed what is now Highway 72, at the cost of as many as 4,000 Native American lives.