In the 1830s, the United States government discovered gold on land occupied by the Cherokee Nation in Tennessee. The government enticed the Cherokee to sign the Indian Removal Act, promised them five million dollars, then banished them to Indian Territory, Oklahoma, by way of what is now called the "trail of tears." Author, Donna N. Miles, recounts this history as it relates to stories her father told of growing up in north central Oklahoma. The majestic Gloss Mountains and the Cimarron River were his childhood playground. Miles strives to honor the sacred spirits of those who lived, loved, and persevered in the early days of territorial Oklahoma.