The Museum of LaFayette is asking area residents to help preserve and share an important part of Northwest Georgia’s history as it develops a new exhibit focusing on the Cherokee people, their lives, removal, and lasting legacy.

Museum organizers are seeking Cherokee-related artifacts that individuals or families would be willing to loan for the upcoming exhibit. The goal is to help tell the story of the Cherokee Nation and the people who lived in what is now LaFayette and Walker County during that period.

Items being sought include land lottery documents or tickets, Cherokee tools, baskets, pottery, trade goods, ceremonial and everyday objects, photographs, historical documents, and other artifacts connected to the Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears.

The exhibit will examine not only the removal of the Cherokee but also their lives and communities before removal and the legacy that continues today.

Local artifacts and documents can provide an especially valuable connection to that history, helping visitors understand that the events surrounding Cherokee removal were not simply part of a distant national story but also took place in communities across Northwest Georgia.

Residents who have Cherokee-related items in family collections or among historical materials are encouraged to consider allowing the museum to display them on loan. Those who are unsure whether an item would be appropriate for the exhibit are also encouraged to contact the museum.

Anyone with an artifact, photograph, document, or other item that may be of interest can contact the Museum of LaFayette at info@museumoflafayette.org.