CAPE WOMAN IN TV DOCUMENTARY

A Cape Girardeau woman makes her national television debut at 8 tonight on the Discovery Channel.

Marie Exler was interviewed almost a year ago by producers for "How the West Was Lost," a mini-series about North American Indian tribes. The documentary received an Ace Award nomination during last year's run on the channel.

Tonight's episode will be the second in this year's series. It profiles the Cherokee Indians, a tribe Exler has studied for many years.

Exler has worked at the Visitors Center of Trail of Tears State Park for almost seven years, a job that has fueled her interest in Cherokees and other tribes that inhabited Southeast Missouri.

Since she began work at the park as a tourist assistant and guide, she has been researching the Cherokee Indians and their trek called the Trail of Tears. That work landed her on the production.

Exler said she was thrilled to be part of the television production.

Exler said the crew for the Discovery Channel interviewed her in February or March. She said they have devoted an entire episode of their mini-series to the Cherokee Indians.

Other park employees aided the show's production crew during their visit to the park.

"It was very instructive for me," said Greg Henson, assistant park superintendent. "They had a camera man, a sound man and another grip-like technician. It was quite a learning experience."

Henson, who gathered information for the documentary's producer, said the crew was in the park for a day.

Other episodes of "How the West Was Lost" also are planned. Each is devoted to a particular tribe that inhabited North America.

Exler, who discussed the Cherokees with the Discovery Channel, also has interests in other Indian tribes that inhabited Southeast Missouri.

"The Shawnee had a settlement in what is now Shawneetown," she said. "That was a small settlement."

She continues to compile a book about the history of Trail of Tears State Park with the park's assistant superintendent.

Visitors to the park typically see Exler, who is in her 80s, give presentations and guide groups through the Visitors Center.