Ohio’s 76th state park is just weeks away from welcoming visitors. Great Council State Park, just north of Xenia, was once known as Oldtown, one of the largest-known Shawnee settlements in the region. More than 400 families and more than 1,000 people called Oldtown home from approximately 1777 to 1780. Their stories directly intersect with those of individuals like Daniel Boone, who was held captive in Oldtown for a period.
The Oklahoma Department of Natural Resources and Ohio History Connection have been working with the three federally recognized Shawnee Tribes to develop the property, which ODNR intends to be a connection to Ohio’s Native American and pioneer past.
“Bringing history to life is a challenge enthusiastically accepted by ODNR staff,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “Once complete, this center will offer a unique glimpse into the past, a different way for children and adults alike to learn more about the people who used to call this part of Ohio home.”
The park will feature a 12,000-square-foot interpretive center with an architectural design based on the traditional council house form historically used by Shawnees. Inside the interpretive center, visitors will find three floors of exhibits, a theater area, a living stream, and a gallery.
“This project gives us the unique opportunity to connect future generations with the past, while protecting the legacy of the Shawnee and inviting them to share their story,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is being planned for June.
Watch progress at the site to date documented through a timelapse video.
Let’s show each other some love in saawanwaatoweewe (Shawnee language)! The tribe is hosting a Valentine’s Day card contest. Sincere, funny or somewhere in-between, we want to see your most creative cards, artwork, memes, or poetry. Email your entries to media@shawnee-tribe.com on or before next Wednesday, February 12. Entries must use Shawnee language. People’s Choice […]
February is Dating Violence Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about a serious issue that impacts people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Dating violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors used to gain power and control over a partner in a romantic relationship. It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, […]
2K FOUNDATIONS SUPPORTING SHAWNEE LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION On February 3, tribal leaders and the Shawnee language team hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiling a newly renovated recording studio at the Emma “Mock” Donaldson saawanwaatoweewika (Shawnee language house) with citizens and staff from Firaxis Games. 2K Foundations, the charitable giving subsidiary of 2K Games, has provided generous support to renovate and […]
From “The Ohio Country” Webpage: “This 12–episode series provides a perspective on the history of the region we now call Ohio that very few of us learned in school. It puts the experiences of Miami, Shawnee, Wyandotte, and other American Indian People at the center of a refreshed version of the state’s complicated past and […]
Did you know? Recycling each ton of paper saves:
On Monday, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum for heads of executive departments and federal agencies requiring agencies to “complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their [f]ederal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive […]
Messages from the Chiefs — Spring 2025: Chief Banes looks ahead in 2025, and Chief Baldridge highlights building and maintaining relationships on the local, state and federal levels to ensure the growth of the Shawnee Tribe.
MIAMI, OK — Chief Benjamin Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe is commending recent federal efforts to advance the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Adopted in 2007, UNDRIP outlines the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide, and the United States joined 192 other United Nations member states in 2014 in committing to […]