Native American burial mounds could become Georgia’s first national park

Editor’s note: This article is part of We the People, a series marking the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States of America by Gray Media, parent company of WANF Atlanta News First.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Congress has introduced legislation that could create the first national park in Georgia.

Several Georgia congresspeople and both Georgia senators introduced legislation that would elevate the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, about 85 miles south of Atlanta, to national park status.

The national park would include parts of the Ocmulgee River Corridor between Macon and Hawkinsville in Bibb County.

It would be the first national park in Georgia. Georgia currently has three national historic parks, one national historic site, one national scenic trail, one national historic trail, one national seashore, two national military parks, one national recreation area and two national monuments.

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The Muscogee (Creek) Nation began building mounds for “meeting, living, burial, agricultural, and other purposes” around 900 CE, according to Sen. Jon Ossoff. The land has been inhabited by the Muscogee for more than 12,000 years.

A special resource study by the National Park Service in 2019 concluded the corridor “represents cultural and natural resources that are not already adequately represented in the national park system.”

The bill has the official support of the tribe. In a statement, Principal Chief David W. Hill said, “The Ocmulgee Mounds, Ocmulgee River, and all of middle Georgia hold historical significance to The Muscogee (Creek) Nation. We are ready to help preserve and co-manage the land which holds the rich cultural history, natural resources, and recreational opportunities that a National Park and Preserve will bring to Georgia.”

There are currently 63 national parks in 31 states and two territories.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

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