News Release

Ocmulgee National Monument: This month’s National Park Getaway

Families walking on a path down the side of a prehistoric earthen mound
Seven earthen mounds constructed by the Mississippian culture a thousand years ago attract visitors from around the world.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: November 4, 2016

Contact: Angela Bates, 478-752-8257 x219

MACON, Ga. – In the heart of Georgia lies a place that has been settled for 17,000 years. Ocmulgee National Monument’s human history dates to the Paleo-Indian Period, and the area was occupied until the Muscogee (Creek) removal in 1826. Upon arrival at the Visitor Center, you will see over 2,000 artifacts on display, including a Clovis Point spear head dating to 10,000 BCE, earthen pottery made around 3,500 BCE, and European dishware from the 1700s CE.

Ocmulgee is home to the largest archeological dig in American history, with more than 3 million artifacts found by 800 Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers in the 1930s. Four different prehistoric cultures inhabited this area before European settlement in the late 1500s. One such group was the Mississippians, who constructed earth mounds for their elite members of society beginning around 900 CE. Their structures survive to this day, attracting visitors worldwide to the park. Read more

The National Park Getaways series helps people find new places to connect with nature, history, family, and friends. This month’s Getaway featuring Ocmulgee National Memorial is the 264th installment in the series.

 

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Last updated: December 6, 2016