Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park grows with land donations from Macon-Bibb County
The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon has expanded with a significant land donation from Macon-Bibb County and the Macon Housing Authority.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon has expanded with a significant land donation from Macon-Bibb County and the Macon Housing Authority.
The National Park Service (NPS) made the announcement on Tuesday. The transfer includes several parcels near the Davis Homes community, totaling 3.62 acres.
The donation is a joint effort with the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative and the National Park Foundation, according to a news release from the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park.
The acquisition follows the 2019 John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9), which nearly quadrupled the park’s authorized boundary from 701 acres to approximately 1860 acres.
“Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park is a memorial to more than 12,000 years of continuous human habitation by multiple Indigenous cultures and peoples,” Superintendent of Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Carla Beasley said. “We are grateful to Macon-Bibb County, Macon Housing Authority, the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative and National Park Foundation for their on-going support to preserve the rich history of this area.”
The newly acquired land contains evidence of one of the longest periods of human habitation in a relatively small area. Known as the Macon Reserve or the Ocmulgee Old Fields, the area is revered as a sacred place by the Muskogean people.
The land forms part of the Ocmulgee Old Fields-Macon Reserve, retained by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation from 1805 until their removal to present-day Oklahoma in the 1826 Treaty of Washington.
“Reserving this land from major development provides opportunities to tell a more complete story of American history,” the release stated. “The triumphs and tragedies of those who called this area home for thousands of years continue to shape our lives today and define our collective heritage.”
