A little over 40 miles west of Decatur sits Springfield, the capital city of Illinois. Settled in the early 1800s, the region was mostly used for hunting, fur trading, and its fertile soil. The prime location caused the population to surge over the years, which eventually led to it being deemed the state's capital. A couple of decades after Springfield was founded, the Trail of Tears passed through the town; thousands of Native Americans traveled this trail when they were forcibly relocated to make room for European settlers. Landmarks and historical sites here document the tragic time.