Fort Mitchell in Russell County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
The Creek Nation / The Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center
Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 4, 2017
1. The Creek Nation Marker
The Creek Nation was a loose confederacy of independent towns that ranks among the most sophisticated and powerful native political organizations in North American history. Largely speakers of the Muskogee dialect, the Creeks coalesced from remnants of prehistoric societies and thrived for centuries. At its height, the Nation consisted of about 22,000 people living in over seventy towns scattered throughout Alabama and Georgia. The Creek Nation was roughly organized into Upper and Lower districts. Many of the most important Lower Creek towns lay along the Chattahoochee.
The Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center honors the legacy of the Creek Indians and all Native Americans of the lower Chattahoochee Valley. It was created by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission in collaboration with the Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Association and several local, state, and federal partners. The site is located at Fort Mitchell because it was a major assembly area for Creeks prior to their removal to the west. The center features a large sculpture symbolic of the Sacred Fire that sat at the heart of every Creek town and several other interpretive elements.
Erected 2016 by the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, Historic Columbus Foundation and the Illges Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Notable Places • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 32°
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Census of 1832 (here, next to this marker); Fort Mitchell and Creek Removal (a few steps from this marker); Cultural Exchange and Cooperation (within shouting distance of this marker); Indian Ball Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); J.W. and Ethel I. Woodruff Foundation Interpretive Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); Creek Towns (within shouting distance of this marker); Pokkecheta, or the Ball Play (within shouting distance of this marker); Archaeology And Our Understanding of the Creek People (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Mitchell.
Also see . . . The Encyclopedia of Alabama article on the Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center. (Submitted on February 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 4, 2017
2. The Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center Marker
Photographed By Mark Hilton, February 4, 2017
3. A 21-foot-high steel and bronze sculpture representing the Sacred Fire.
Marker can be seen in the background of the symbolic recreation of an Indian town square.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2017. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 721 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
