Ocmulgee

On the west side of Macon is Ocmulgee National Monument. It is there to preserve some wonderful Indian mounds dating back a few hundred years. The British constructed a trading post here in 1690 but there have been Indians living in this area for hundreds of years earlier. The mounds date to about 1350.

It is an interesting place to visit and offers some wonderful views of Macon. It also has a Civil War connection. At the July 1864 battle (that sends a cannonball into Judge Holt's House) the Union has a battery at the mounds.

Union General George Stoneman fails in his effort to take Macon and he forced to surrender at Sunshine Church. Stoneman and his officers will be held prisoner at Camp Oglethorpe in Macon while the enlisted men will be sent to Andersonville.

The park does not have signs or brochures interpreting its Civil War connection. We were told that there were some earthworks across the road from the Visitor's Center. Dad and I have a long history of finding these so while there were no signs the ground in these pictures does look like earthworks.

Here is the view from one of the mounds looking at Macon.

And from that same mound looking at the council mound.

A view of the council mound from the other side, from the Visitor's Center.

You can enter it, but it is a narrow passageway.