While most calendars mark the second Monday in October as Columbus Day, the day is also recognized by many — including the City of Atlanta — as Indigenous Peoples Day. First declared in California in the 1990s, the observation is meant to serve as counterweight to the celebration of Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, honoring the indigenous people of the “New World” and memorializing the destruction of many cultures in the aftermath of colonization.
While the day may have somber overtones, it can also be an inspiration to learn more about the people who once populated the region around Atlanta. Learn more about Native American history and culture by visiting some of these Georgia sites:
Chief Vann House
82 Highway 225 N. Chatsworth, GA 30705. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Adults: $7, youth (6-17): $6, seniors (62+): $5.25
Visit the plantation house and grounds of Chief James Vann, who became a Cherokee leader and wealthy businessman during the 1790s. Construction of the 2 ½-story brick home was completed in 1804, and, with its 1,000 acres of land, was the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation. The family lost their home in the 1830s when state and federal troops forced almost the entire Cherokee Nation westward on the Trail of Tears. It’s the state’s best-preserved historic Cherokee Indian home and has interesting decorative features including hand carvings and a “floating” staircase.
New Echota
1211 Chatsworth Highway NE, Calhoun, GA 30701. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Adults: $8, youth (6-17) and seniors (62+): $6
New Echota had a short history, but is one of the most significant Cherokee sites in the country. It was briefly the capital of the Cherokee Nation and was also where the Cherokee removal on the Trail of Tears officially began. Twelve original and reconstructed buildings are available to see, including a courthouse and print shop.
Etowah Indian Mound
813 Indian Mounds Road SE, Cartersville, GA 30120. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, mounds area closes at 4:30 p.m. Adults: $6, youth (6-17): $4, children (under 6): $2, seniors (62+): $4.50
From 1000 A.D. to 1550 A.D., Etowah Mounds was home to several thousand Native Americans, and it’s the most intact site of the Mississippian culture in the Southeast. The site protects six earthen mounds, a plaza, village site and more, and visitors can see museum artifacts that show how natives of this area used shell beads, feathers and copper ear ornaments.
Kolomoki Mounds
205 Indian Mounds Road, Blakely, GA 39823. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Adults: $5.50, seniors (62+) $4.25, youth (6-17): $3.75, children (under 6): $1.25
The Kolomoki Mounds were occupied by Woodland Indians from around 350 A.D. to 750 A.D. The mounds are one of the Southeast’s oldest and largest Woodland sites. Visitors can explore the 57-foot-tall great temple mound, as well as other smaller mounds.
Atlanta History Center
130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Adults: $24, seniors (65+) and students (13+ with ID): $20, youth (4-12): $10, children (under 4): free
View the Native Lands exhibit, which explores the Creek and Cherokee people and their connections to Georgia through art, music and ceremony.
Michael C. Carlos Museum
Credit: From collections.carlos.emory.edu
Credit: From collections.carlos.emory.edu
571 South Kilgo Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. $6-$8, free for members, Emory University students, faculty and staff with Emory ID, children age 5 and under.
The Art of the Americas collection at Emory University’s Carlos Museum features pieces excavated from the Etowah Indian Mounds as well as a collection of items from Native American groups from across the U.S.
Marietta Museum of History
1 Depot St., Marietta, GA 30060. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Adults: $10, students: $7, seniors (60+): $7, children (under 5) and active military and veterans: free
The museum houses early Native American pottery found in Cobb County, a unique collection of bird tip arrowheads and an 1860 bible written in the Cherokee language. You can also learn about the Trail of Tears, directional markers used by Native Americans and more.
