Honoring Native American Heritage Month

The first inhabitants of the land we know today as the City of Albany were the Muscogee people. They’re also known as the Creek Nation, referring to a confederacy of several tribes who lived in the southeastern part of the United States, including Georgia. For the Muscogee, they referred to the area of present-day Albany as “Thronateeska,” which loosely translates to “flint picking up place,” according to the Thronateeska Heritage Center. This name is only fitting as the large abundance of flint that can be found along the banks of the river inspired the name of the river that flows through our city – the Flint River. Unfortunately, in 1826, the U.S. forced the Creek Nation to relinquish its lands in Georgia, leading to a treaty in 1832, which forcefully relocated the tribes to Oklahoma. A few years later, in 1836, a merchant by the name of Nelson Tift founded Albany to serve as a place for local cotton farmers who had settled into the empty land.

Just outside of Albany is Radium Springs, known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia, which was originally used by the Muscogee people. This area features a quarter mile of underground caves, which supply 70,000 gallons of water every minute to the spring. The Muscogee people used the springs as a ceremonial site, possibly referring to it as “Sutvowv,” which loosely translates to Skywater. They believed the water contained healing, mystical properties, a belief that continued into the early 20th century as the site became a popular recreational spot for tourists to enjoy the constant 68-degree water of the springs. The specifics of the ceremonies held at Radium Springs aren’t well known, but the mystery behind its use is fascinating for visitors and residents alike.

Another popular site with ties to its Native American heritage is the Chehaw Park & Zoo. It was named after the Chehaw, a tribe of Creek Indians who inhabited the property now used for the park. The City of Albany leased 100 acres of unused Chehaw property from the state of Georgia, intending to develop a wild animal park. The state decided to donate all of the available acreage and commissioned Jin Fowler, an Albany native and host of the show Wild Kingdom, to oversee its construction. During its development, many artifacts were found on the property, including arrowheads, spearheads, clay pipes, stone celts and many more. There were distinct variations in the discovered artifacts' designs, showing that many tribes once inhabited the land.

To learn more about Albany’s Native American history, head over to the Thronateeska Heritage Center, which has a great collection of local artifacts. It’s a great way to enrich your learning experience by discovering more stories about the Muscogee people during Native American Heritage Month!