Hickory Ground Facts

What to Know

Media coverage of Hickory Ground frequently omits essential context. Find straightforward answers to critical questions below.

Did the Poarch Creek Indians purchase the Hickory Ground site without consulting the Muscogee Creek Nation?

In 1980, the Poarch Creek Indians contacted Muscogee to propose a partnership given Hickory Ground’s historical significance to both sovereign Tribal nations. According to a letter sent to Muscogee on June 12, 1980, Poarch suggested that, “ties [would be] strengthened between Oklahoma and Alabama Creeks” if the land was jointly owned. The Muscogee showed no interest in moving forward with Poarch on the acquisition, so the Tribe purchased the land as the sole buyer. 

In 2005, archeologists discovered the actual ceremonial/religious grounds of the Hickory Ground Tribal town along with eight (8) burial sites and associated funerary objects. All activity at the site was immediately suspended, the Ceremonial grounds were not further disturbed, and the eight burial sites remained in situ, protected from any development. That remains the case to this day and always will.

Since at least 2006, Poarch Creek has regularly made diplomatic overtures to the Muscogee Nation in the hopes that the two sovereign nations could have an open and honest dialogue, including acknowledging the actual condition of the land when the Tribe purchased it. Despite the hostilities directed toward the Tribe and its leadership, Poarch Creek has continued to be open to dialogue with Muscogee’s elected leadership as it changed over the years. Poarch Creek has continued to express the desire for a good relationship between the two sovereign nations.

In 2007, Poarch Creek shared archaeologists’ maps, including locations, color codes, and building sites, with representatives of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation at a meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The delegates discussed a location and manner of reinterment for excavated, fragmented remains and security for the site.

In May 2007, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians entered into a signed binding “Letter Agreement” with Mekko Thompson of Hickory Ground Tribal Town from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. This agreement aimed to preserve and protect, in perpetuity, the ceremonial/religious site on the land held in trust by the Poarch Creek Nation.

This agreement called for the ceremonial/religious ground to be covered in a manner agreed upon by all parties, with oversight and assistance from Mekko Thompson and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Office, an invitation they accepted.

After an additional five years of consultations and correspondence with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Hickory Ground Town of Oklahoma, no agreement could be reached on how, where, and most importantly, when re-interment of excavated fragmentary remains would occur. In 2012, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, assisted by a Tribal Member, respectfully prepared (50) fifty bundles of the remains and associated funerary objects, wrapped them in muslin cloth, and placed them approximately (2) two feet apart in the re-interment area adjacent to the ceremonial ground where some remains and funerary objects had been left in situ under the ceremonial arbors identified by archeologists. The re-interment for ALL fragmented remains in Poarch Creek’s possession or control took place during this reinterment ceremony. This historical ceremonial site, discovered and identified by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has been preserved and protected for the past (25) twenty-five years, and it always will be. This site has been made available to members of both the Muscogee Creek and Poarch Creek nations for visits, prayers, and to pay homage to their ancestors.

Also in 2012, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians voluntarily passed a resolution to protect and preserve the remaining (17) seventeen acres of the Hickory Ground Tribal Town that are held in trust by the Tribe in perpetuity. The resolution also established a historic preservation fund and set aside additional land at Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve for re-interment activities of remains from other Creek sites in Alabama.

Poarch Creek’s Wetumpka trust property—approximately 34 acres—is a small portion of what had been a large Indian town called Oce Vpofe (Hickory Ground) that encompassed more than 1,000 acres and more than 1,000 people. However, Poarch’s purchase of the site preserved the ceremonial “square grounds,” a historically significant plot that served as a town square and religious site, as well as a 17-acre parcel of land located near the ceremonial grounds. To this day, the square grounds remain fenced off, memorialized, and surrounded by cedar trees in accordance with federal and tribal law.

Today, this 34-acre parcel in Wetumpka, Ala., is tightly hemmed in by the large-scale infrastructure and development, including: (1) the large River Oaks housing subdivision, Winn-Dixie, and restaurants like McDonald’s on the south side of our parcel; (2) Alabama State Roads 111 and 9 and restaurants like Hardee’s, Taco Bell, and Dominos to the east side of our parcel; (3) Alabama State Road 111, Wetumpka and Elmore County buildings, and more restaurants and businesses to the north side of our parcel; and (4) the meandering Coosa River along the entire west side of our parcel.

1972 Aerial Map of Hickory Ground Tribal Town being farmed

No. From the time that the Creek people were removed from the site until Poarch purchased the land in 1980, this area was cultivated extensively using modern farming practices.

 This development took place over the span of more than 125 years. Additional land modifications, including the construction of homes, commercial property, and roads, have significantly impacted the landscape and archaeological record.

At the time the land came up for sale, a big box retailer was expected to purchase and develop the site. Poarch purchased the site in an effort to regain some of their historical lands, protect their ancestors and history, and provide for their people and community. The acquisition has successfully protected the ceremonial “square grounds” and 17 nearby acres, preserving a site directly connected with their cultural heritage. The record of development surrounding this property since Poarch acquired it strongly implies that, but for Poarch’s actions, the entire site would have been developed and destroyed without any effort to preserve its historic and archaeological value.

1938 Aerial Map of Hickory Ground Tribal Town flooded

At the time of purchase, Hickory Ground was a large corn field that was being farmed

by modern tractors. Indeed, the site had been farmed for more than 125 years since the Creek people were uprooted from their land. This has caused numerous problems for archaeological investigations. As Dr. John W. Cottier, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Auburn University, observed, “Many archaeological features, or human made associations (such as storage pits, deer skin processing pits, and even burials) were discovered in fragmentary conditions.” 

 

Additionally, the land in that part of the county had flooded on multiple occasions over the last 100 years, eroding what was then farmland. 

 

Yes. The Poarch Band was officially acknowledged as a tribe by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 1984. The BIA found that, “Virtually all of the Band’s 1,470 members can document descendancy from the historic Creek Nation.” Nevertheless, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s website falsely claims that Poarch Creek Indians are only “allegedly” descended from the historic Creek Nation.

In fact, Poarch Creek ancestry is not only Creek, but specifically rooted in Upper Creek and Alibamu lineages tied directly to Hickory Ground (Oce Vpofv). Over 80% of the Poarch population descends from the Sehoy matrilineal line—through Sehoy Weatherford, her daughter Elizabeth Weatherford Moniac, and her husband Sam Moniac—whose descendants became the core families of the modern Poarch community. These ancestors were directly tied to Hickory Ground through leadership, landholding, and documented residence.

Historical records place this family at Hickory Ground and its related towns, including Little Tallassee. Early accounts describe these ancestors traveling seasonally between Hickory Ground and the Tensaw/Little River region, maintaining continuous political, ceremonial, and kinship ties. Named individuals from this lineage appear in treaties, land claims, and the 1832 Hickory Ground census prior to Indian Removal.

Archaeological, genealogical, and oral historical evidence all align to show long-term continuity of this Alibamu Sehoy lineage in the Alabama River valley, from earlier Mississippian centers through historic Creek towns and into the present-day Poarch community that coalesced from the Tensaw/Little River region.

Importantly, this core Hickory Ground lineage represents only one of the most prominent ancestral lines. It does not account for the many additional Creek lineages within the Poarch community, including those from other Upper Creek tribal towns.

The Tribe has no legal obligation to negotiate with any other Indian nation about their own sovereign trust land. Other tribes across the country that remained on their homelands possess inherent sovereignty over their lands, even if they share ancestry and homelands with other tribes. Poarch Creek is no exception, and it is a dangerous road for all Indian nations when one sovereign seeks to enforce its will on another sovereign.

Poarch Creek partnered with Auburn University to conduct a scientifically sound archeological study of the property, as it stated in pre-acquisition correspondence with the Alabama Historical Commission. By honoring its 20-year written preservation commitment and following through on its pre-acquisition plan to conduct an archeological study of the site’s valuable cultural resources, no promises were made with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and no promises were broken. It has been and will continue to be a priority of Poarch Creek to protect and preserve the cultural significance of Hickory Ground.

Out of respect for their close cultural and familial ties, the Tribe has engaged in extensive discussions over many years with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation about Poarch Creek’s Wetumpka trust parcel. Even though a mutual agreement has not been reached, Poarch Creek leadership has taken the utmost care to preserve their Tribal history and culture while undertaking projects that assure the fiscal stability of their tribal government and economic security for their people.

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