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Ocmulgee National MonumentTheme(s): Native American | |
Description:
Ocmulgee is a memorial to the antiquity of man in this corner of the North American continent. The National Monument preserves a continuous record of human life in the Southeast from the earliest times to the present. From Ice-Age hunters to the Muscogee (Creek) people of historic times, there is evidence here of 12,000 years of human habitation.
One period stands out. Between AD 900 and 1200 a skillful farming people lived on this site. Known to us as Mississippians, they were part of a distinctive culture which crystallized about AD 750 in the middle Mississippi Valley and over the next seven centuries spread along riverways throughout much ofthe central and eastern United States. The Mississippians brought a more complex way of life to the region and here they left behind eight earthen mounds and the remains of a ceremonial earthlodge.
The Monument today consists of two units separated by two miles of riverine wetlands along the Ocmulgee River. The Main Unit is adjacent to the city of Macon, an urban area with a population of 118,000. The isolated Lamar Mounds and Village Unit can be visited by special permit.
Designations:
National Monument (December 23, 1936)
Accessibility:
The Museum/Visitor Center and Ceremonial Earthlodge are wheelchair accessible. The interpretive movie, "Mysteries of the Mounds," is captioned. Braille transcriptions of the park story are available in the Visitor Center.
Getting Around:
A concrete sidewalk leads from the Museum/Visitor Center to the Early Mississippian Ceremonial Earthlodge. Parking lots are located near the Great and Lesser Temple Mounds and the Funeral Mound. Over 6 miles of walking trail connect the historical features and traverse a variety of natural areas, including upland forests, open meadows, and wetlands.
Visitors should stay on marked trails to avoid poison ivy, ticks, fire ants, and snakes. During warmer seasons, mosquitoes, deer flies, and other insects may be annoying. Climbing or sliding on mound slopes is not permitted in order to protect these fragile resources and to prevent accidents. At two points, park trails intersect an active railroad where visitors are cautioned to look both ways before crossing.
Activites:
Educational Programs | Fishing | Hiking | Wildlife Viewing | Bird Watching | Nature Walks | And more.
Facilities:
Visitor_Centers | Picnic Areas | Museum Exhibits | Tours & Guided Activities | And more.
Directions to Ocmulgee National Monument
Plane:
Atlanta's Hartsfield Int'l Airport is 90 miles away, with shuttle service available or commuter jet to Macon's Lewis B. Wilson Airport.
Car:
The Monument is on the east side of Macon on US 80 east (Emery Highway). Main access is from Interstate 75 to Interstate 16 east, at the north end of Macon. Take the second exit from Interstate 16 (Coliseum Exit) and follow the signs 1.6 miles.
Attractions:
Piedmont-Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuges
Phone:912-986-5441
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests
Nearby Parks:
Andersonville National Historic Site in Georgia (60 miles)
Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Georgia (60 miles)
Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site in Georgia (60 miles)
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in Georgia (60 miles)
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Georgia (60 miles)
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park in Alabama (60 miles)
Fort Pulaski National Monument in Georgia (60 miles)
Fort Frederica National Monument in Georgia (60 miles)
Andersonville National Historic Site in Georgia (60 miles)
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