▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁by ▁President ▁James ▁K . ▁Pol k . ▁An ▁inn ▁and ▁ta vern ▁were ▁established ▁and ▁maintained ▁on ▁the ▁site , ▁and ▁it ▁became ▁popular ▁along ▁the ▁route . ▁ ▁The ▁site ▁witness ed ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁Ch ero kee ▁trav elling ▁along ▁the ▁Northern ▁Route ▁during ▁ 1 8 3 8 - 3 9 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Tra il ▁of ▁T ears . ▁Fitz ger ald ▁was ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁journ als ▁of ▁both ▁B . B . ▁C annon ▁and ▁Dr . ▁William ▁Isaac ▁Ir v ins ▁Mor row , ▁two ▁members ▁of ▁a ▁military ▁esc ort ▁taking ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁Ch ero kee ▁who ▁were ▁will ingly ▁re loc ating ▁per ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁New ▁E ch ota . ▁ ▁But ter field ▁Tra il ▁ ▁The ▁But ter field ▁Over land ▁Mail ▁route ▁was ▁a ▁stage co ach ▁route ▁chosen ▁to ▁be ▁snow - free ▁unlike ▁the ▁more ▁northern ▁but ▁shorter ▁routes ▁in ▁place ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁It ▁ran ▁from ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁California ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁This ▁segment ▁over la pped ▁a ▁historic ▁road ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" State ▁Road " ▁in ▁Ark ansas , ▁itself ▁a ▁formerly ▁well - tra ve led ▁Native ▁American ▁removal ▁route ▁from ▁Spring field , ▁Missouri ▁to ▁F ay ette ville ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s . ▁ ▁Fitz ger ald ▁Station ▁served ▁along ▁the ▁route