During “The War Between the States” the young city of Macon was threatened with destruction on two separate occasions when Union and Confederate forces met just across the river from the city. Both conflicts took place on the grounds of Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. Today, one of the few surviving Civil War earthworks in Macon remains in the park; a reminder of another time in history adding to the heritage that is Ocmulgee.
In 1856, Samuel S. Dunlap constructed this house as part of his 400-acre cotton plantation. On July 30, 1864, the Dunlap house was occupied by Union troops during the Battle of Dunlap Hill, part of Stoneman’s Raid. After the war, Captain Dunlap turned the plantation into a dairy farm. This area is not open to the public.
Visitors experience a view of the ancient past when they enter the Earth Lodge, a reconstructed council chamber of the Mississippian culture. The clay floor inside is the original floor, making it over 1,000 years old.
Consisting of the two tallest mounds in the park, the Great Temple Mound Complex is where the chief and second-chief would have lived during the Mississippian Period, and offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area from atop the mounds.
The park store is operated by the Ocmulgee Mounds Association, an official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to supporting the educational mission of Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. The park store has a wide range of books, magnets, postcards, and other items available for retail sale.
