Native Americans walked the trails of White County long before white settlers arrived. Remnants of their presence can still be found all around the county, as well as most of Georgia and the Southeast. Many recall the stories of how they were removed from their native lands on the "Trail of Tears."

The White County Historical Society will present "In the Presence of the Elders," a program by Don Wells that includes video clips and stories of the Indian way of life and the gradual loss or forgotten culture of their people. It is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 7, at the old courthouse museum in Cleveland. The public is invited.

The research, documentation and capture of written and video interviews with elder Native Americans is an ongoing project of Mountain Stewards, of which Wells is a part. Two of the elders filmed were Sam Proctor (Muskogee Creek) and Jerry Wolfe (Eastern Band Cherokee Indians).

Hearing stories directly from some of the "elders" should bring a "new sense of peace, understanding and appreciation for the culture of those who are more spiritually connected to the living earth," Wells said.

For more information, contact the Historical Society at 706-865-3225.