In May 1841 , the county court approved construction of the first road through the territory , known today as Old Wire Road . This road originally was a trace cut by hundreds of Cherokee in 1838 as they wound their way across Missouri to Tahlequah , Oklahoma as part of the federal government 's Indian Removal Act of 1830 or " Trail of Tears " , which passed about five miles west of the Roller homestead . Shortly thereafter , a telegraph line was built which followed this trail , and Old Wire Road was built following the telegraph line
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Seligman, Missouri