MACON, Ga. – The Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia have always been a key part of Muscogee history, and now, they are getting renewed recognition for their beauty, and historical and cultural significance. Recently, the Mounds, which has been the ancestral homeland of the Muscogee Nation for centuries, were featured in TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2025.
Being named among many of the World’s Greatest Places is only a capstone in the recent recognition the Mounds have received, however, as the area is currently under consideration to be the next National Park, as covered in a May 2024 article. In addition to this, the city of Macon, Georgia, where the park is located, honored its history with the Muscogee Nation earlier in March of 2025 by making the street names in the city bilingual, with both the English and Muscogee names shown.
Tracie Revis, the Director of Advocacy for the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative, which is one of the core groups behind the Ocmulgee Mounds being fully upgraded into a national park and preserve, is proud of the history and cooperation between the Muscogee Nation and the city of Macon, Georgia, as the city sees the nation as their equals, rather than being above the nation in any way.
“What we have today is they see us as equal. The city and the park, they see the nation as equal versus ‘we need to do this for you.’ Instead, it is “Let’s do this with you.” And so the difference truly that I see happening in Macon is that we are seen with equal respect versus somebody being over us doing something for us. The nation has reached a place of opportunity to be able to take back its own. And so, with that, we’ve really been able to create inroads and relationships and that is what has led to all of these things coming. So much that, you know, we are getting a lot of national attention because we are equal partners in all of these efforts.” Revis said in an interview.
The article on TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2025 can be found on their website. More information on the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park and ONPPI’s work to turn it into a National Park can be found on their website, https://www.ocmulgeepark.org/
