On Wednesday, September 23, at 9:00 a.m., Macon-Bibb County and partners will hold a press conference to mark the demolition of two blighted structures and the conveyance of three properties to the National Park Service for the expansion of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. The event will be held at 195 Fairview Avenue, and speaking will be Mayor Robert Reichert, Commissioner Elaine Lucas, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Acting Superintendent Giselle Mora-Bourgeois, Land Bank Authority Director Everett Verner, Blight Consultant Cass Hatcher, and Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative (ONPPI), President Brian Adams and Executive Director Kensey Rabun. 

In order to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect Middle Georgia, attendees should wear appropriate face masks and practice good social distancing. The press conference will be broadcast live at www.facebook.com/maconbibbcounty.

“We are growing and expanding our greenspace, all while creating a stronger connection between people and our history,” says Mayor Reichert. “We have a protected river corridor that we are connecting with trails and parks, and the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park is a link in that chain.”  

“It’s incredible to see how many groups and organizations have come together to support this effort. It tells such an incredible story and reaches so many people: sportsmen, historians, birders, recreationists, conservationists, local businesses, and Native American peoples,” says Adams. “We come across someone weekly reflecting on how this protected special place has impacted someone. Ultimately this expansion preserves the history and remnants of the Native American mound builders, preserves an incredibly diverse habitat, and provides a great recreation opportunity.”

“It’s my mission to help build a legacy that all Georgians can be proud of -- honoring those who used the land before us, cultivating responsible stewardship of that land today, and protecting these special places for the enjoyment of generations to come. We deeply appreciate Macon-Bibb County’s leaders in prioritizing this important and lasting project,” says Rabun.

In March of 2019, the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act (HR 538 & S 135) legislation passed. This historic legislation accomplished three important elements. First, it quadrupled the size of the national park unit in Macon-Bibb by enlarging the current 700-acre boundary to nearly 3,000 acres. Second, it elevated the Congressional designation from a National Monument to a National Historical Park. Third, it authorized a federal study of 50 miles of the Ocmulgee River Corridor from Macon south to Hawkinsville to explore potential additional conservation measures, with a public comment period posting mid-November.