Georgia is Home to the Nation's Oldest State Park

Photo bysoutheasttostart

Did you know that Georgia is home to America's oldest State Park? That's right! Indian Springs State Park, located in Butts County, is considered by historians to be the oldest State Park in the nation.

How Indian Springs Came to Be

In 1825, the state acquired the 528-acre parcel from the Creek Indians through the Treaty of Indian Springs. There were actually two treaties of Indian Springs. The first one, signed in 1821, meant the Creek Indians gave up their land east of the Flint River. The second treaty, signed in 1825, specified that approximately 31,274 square miles would belong to the United States.

The Creek National Council opposed the second treaty. Unfortunately, this led to the execution of William McIntosh because he signed the treaty. McIntosh also owned an inn by Lower Creek. It is reported that this is the location where treaty talks began in 1820.

Part of the reason for the government wanting more land was to put space between the Creeks and the Cherokees to minimize the risk of them becoming allies. The second reason is that there were over a quarter of a million dollars of unpaid claims against the Creeks for trades that went back decades, and the government was attempting to settle on those debts. The third reason was hopes that claiming their land would push the Creeks to relocate further west.

Creeks Refusal to Give Up Land

The Creeks refused to give up land and did not want to move out west to the land they had been allotted in Northern Louisiana. The only concession they made was to give up the parcel of land that bordered the Flint River to the west and came to a point just above what is now Alpharetta. This parcel was just over 4 million acres. In return, the government agreed to pay a total sum of $200,000 over a period of time and including cash, goods, and farm equipment.

William McIntosh's Role and Execution

William McIntosh was the primary overseer of the negotiations, so he received the majority of the money, as well as over 1,600 acres.

The Creek National Council outlawed selling or giving away any more of their land. It was already in place before the first treaty. However, it was temporarily suspended for the first treaty only. McIntosh signed away the rest of their land in Georgia in the second Treaty of Indian Springs, violating their laws. He was later executed for violating the Creek National Council's Laws.

Indian Springs State Park Today

In 1927, Indian Springs became the first official State Park. Along with Vogel, which came about in 1931, it is known as one of the founders of the Georgia State Park System.

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