Creek Indian Removal

At the dawn of this land’s recorded history, the Creek Indians owned it, and before later settlers built great houses and made the laws here, the United States of America had ceded the land to the Creek Indians for “As long as the grass grows or water runs.” Within four years, however, the Creek were driven from it by men who would profit from their expulsion. Before the Creeks were removed from this area, Chief Eufaula addressed the Alabama Legislature in farewell, saying that in the lands of Alabama that had belonged to his forefathers and where their bones lay buried, the Indian fires were going out and would soon be cold, while new fires were being lit in the far West, where his people were going, and he left behind his good will to the people of Alabama who would build the great houses and make the laws.

Eufaula, Alabama · United States