Military vet spending her retirement restoring Trail of Tears monument

Tucked away off I-44 just west of Rolla is a monument dedicated to the Trail of Tears. The monument is the life's work of Larry Baggett, who studied Native American culture, astrology and natural healing.

"He built this place, took him about 50 years," said Marie Ryberg, a friend of Larry's. "He put every stone here, he did landscaping, he did statues. It's amazing that one person with a 7th grade education can do - can get done."

Since Larry died in 2003, the monument fell into disrepair. Many of Larry's statues were broken or stolen and the house that Larry built and lived in has been vandalized.

All across the property, there are beautiful stone structures, but none of them are there just because. Larry was a collector of stories of sorts, so each structure and statue has a story.

For example, the stone bull with a club foot and the Native American walking behind it comes from Native American folklore. The rock gardens are arranged in the phases of the moon, which Larry was a big believer in. There is also a wishing well, a sundial and a statue of Jesus.

"It's one foot in the water, one foot out -- or it will be," Ryberg said of the statue. "And he has a vase. And he's pouring water. And a blade right here extends out of his mouth."

After Larry's death, Marie purchased the land that holds the Trail of Tears monument. After she retired from 21 years in the military, she made it her personal project to fix it up.

She wants to add healing gardens alongside Larry's stone structures. She also wants to have a cafe that serves food grown right there on the property. Most of all, Ryberg wants the monument to be a place to reflect and also to learn.

"I want to leave a legacy behind," she said. "I feel like that's my calling, it's my passion. I love doing this, I've been waiting to do this for years and I'm all excited about it."

Ryberg hopes to have the monument open for visitors by the spring of 2018.