[1] Trail of Tears was established in 1929 when Illinois purchased 3,000-acre (1,200 ha) acres of Shawnee Hills land and used the resulting land to create the Kohn-Jackson Forest (later Union County State Forest).

Soon afterwards, the state park was improved with work performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Subsequent land acquisitions created the 5,114-acre (2,070 ha) Trail of Tears State Forest of today.

The forest occupies land near the route followed by the Cherokee in December 1838 during their forced relocation in the Trail of Tears.

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