MACON, Ga. — Macon’s National Historical Park is about to double in size. Advocates, including the National Park Service and Muscogee (Creek) Nation, announced Wednesday they acquired nearly 1,000 acres in southeast Bibb County.
Most of it will become part of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park located off Emery Highway in east Macon.
The park preserves the ancestral homeland of the Creek Nation, who were forcibly removed from Georgia and sent to Oklahoma in the 1830s.
“It is our solemn duty and honor to protect our nation’s most significant lands. It’s even more critical that we work collaboratively with Tribal nations to ensure proper conservation and access. The National Park Service will continue to work with willing sellers to preserve the culturally significant land associated with the Ocmulgee Old Fields,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams.
The expansion was funded by the park service and private grants. Advocates hope to eventually expand the park from around 700 acres to more than 3,000 acres.
The newly acquired land will be closed to the public at first as the park service develops a plan to find ways to preserve the integrity of the site. They’ll then invite public involvement in planning for the site.