Some 13,000 Cherokees , led by Chief Bear Paw crossed the Ohio River at Golconda by ferry as part of the infamous " Trail of Tears " to Oklahoma . Because of the threat of disease , the Native Americans were not allowed to go into any towns or villages along the way ; often this meant traveling much farther to go around them . After crossing Tennessee and Kentucky , they arrived at the Ohio River across from Golconda about the 3rd of December 1838 . The starving Indians were charged a dollar a head ( equal to $ today ) to cross the river on " Carpenter 's Ferry " , which typically charged twelve cents ( $ today ) . They were not allowed passage until the ferry had serviced all others wishing to cross and were forced to take shelter under " Mantle Rock " , a bluff on the Kentucky side , until " Mr. Carpenter had nothing better to do " . Many died huddled together at Mantle Rock waiting to cross . Several Cherokee were also murdered by locals . Many of the Cherokee were rescued and sheltered by the Carpenter family , one of the founding leaders of Golconda . The killers filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Government through the courthouse in Vienna , suing the government for $ 35 a head ( equal to $ today ) to bury the murdered Cherokee
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Golconda, Illinois