Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park doubling in size

Macon could soon see more people visiting the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Macon could soon see more people visiting the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park.

The park currently sits on 700 acres, but it will soon sit on 16,000 acres.

Park Superintendent Carla Beasley says it’s an exciting time for the park and that the plan to purchase more property was a long time coming.

“In 2019 the Dingell Act expanded the authorized boundary of the park, quadrupling it in size,” she said. “It also authorized us to purchase land from a willing seller and accept land by donation.”

The land will add a total of 906 acres to the property.

Beasley says the park now has an opportunity to show visitors what could be there in the future while also reminding them of the land’s past.

Jason Salsman, the press secretary of the Muscogee Creek Nation, says most of the land purchased was once inhabited by the Muskogean people, prior to their removal.

“We also want to feel that emotional connection to where we originally came from,” he said. “Many of  our ancestors are still there in the ground in the southeast, and for us, nothing could be more important than their undisturbed rest.”

The Muscogee Creek Nation, along with National Park Service, Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Intiative, National Park Foundation and the Open Space Institute all aided in the purchase of the land.

Beasley says Macon-Bibb residents should be excited for what’s to come.

“The land is undeveloped,” she said. “It’s mostly bottom land forested areas. It will initially be closed to the public as we go through a planning process to find out what is the most appropriate development for the area.”

The planning process is expected to take a few months. Beasley says the next step is to get community feedback regarding the appropriate use of the land.