MACON, Ga. – The ancestral home of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation may soon become a U.S. National Park and Preserve if a bill from Georgia senators and representatives passes.
The bill, known as the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Establishment Act, was proposed by U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock, both Democrats, as well as State Representatives Austin Scott and Sanford Bishop, a Republican and Democrat from the state’s 8th and 2nd Districts respectively. The bill also received support from both Democrats and Republicans of Georgia’s representatives in Congress, including: Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-1st District), Drew Ferguson (R-3rd District), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-4th District), Nikema Williams (D-5th District), Rich McCormick (R-6th District), Lucy McBath (D-7th District), Mike Collins (R-10th District), Barry Loudermilk (R-11th District), Rick Allen (R-12th), David Scott (D-13th District), and Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-14th District).
Ocmulgee Mounds, the ancestral home of the tribe, has special significance for the Muscogee people. As such, the tribe has worked closely with the senators and representatives from Georgia to ensure that the lands will be treated well and respected by both groups. MCN Principal Chief David Hill commented on the ongoing process when speaking with news outlets. “We are thrilled to see this bill introduced and stand ready to support this legislation every step of the way.” Chief 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.”
Senator Warnock was grateful to his colleagues and to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation for working to protect what he described as an important cultural, historical and ecological site. “Ocmulgee Mounds is a living testament to our intertwined histories and a robust source of economic and cultural vitality, so I’m proud to support the bipartisan, bicameral efforts to establish Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve. I want to thank Congressmen Scott and Bishop for their yearslong efforts on this in the U.S. House, as well as Senator Ossoff for his leadership. Working together, we are proving what is possible when we put politics aside and center the people of Georgia.” Warnock said.
Tracie Revis, Director of Advocacy for the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative was very pleased by the effort put into making this historic site a national park. “We built these ancient civilizations in these lands here in Middle Georgia, and given the history of the country, we were removed into Oklahoma. So this legislation gives us the opportunity to not only come back and be in the land but help manage and maintain our home again. It allows us to restore our voices for our people that are buried here and for all of those stories all across the state.” Revis said in a quote to the Georgia Recorder.
If this bill passes, it will not only provide Georgia with its first ever National Park and Preserve, but it will also protect a piece of land that is incredibly important to both the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and to the local ecosystem, protecting a piece of land that has been continuously inhabited by humans for more than 12,000 years and by the Muscogee (Creek) people for more than a millennia.
