THE PASSAGE WATERWALK

The Passage is both a pedestrian link between Downtown and Tennessee River and a tribute to the martyrs of the Trail of Tears (the Trail of Tears). The Trail of Tears is the name given to the forced exodus of Cherokee in 1838-1839 (but also from other Indian nations) from the eastern United States to a territory conceded west of Mississippi (present Oklahoma) by the U.S. government. During this terrible army-led ordeal, some 4 000 Cherokee (at least) died before reaching their new territory. Ross'Landing is on one of the crossing points of the Trail of Tears.

The staircase transformed into fountain, which can be borrowed naked, symbolizes the tears paid by Cherokee. On the walls, the seven ceramic discs represent the seven original clans of the Cherokee nation (Anigatogewi, Anigilahi, Anikawi, Anisahoni, Anitsiskwa, Aniwaya and Aniwodi). On the shore, a marker recalls this bloody episode in Indian history.