This Historic Shawnee Settlement In Ohio Will Be Home To The Next State Park
By Sarah McCosham|Published February 16, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
By the end of 2023, Ohio is expected to have a new state park. Great Council State Park, just north of Xenia, will be a connection to Ohio’s Native American and pioneer past. Part nature park and part living history museum, Great Council State Park will be a welcome addition to the robust roster of Ohio State Parks.
In Southwest Ohio, Oldtown is an unincorporated community in Xenia Township founded on a historic site that was once home to one of Ohio's largest Shawnee settlements.
More than 1,000 people called Oldtown home from approximately 1777 to 1780. Their stories directly intersect with that of historic settlers like Daniel Boone, who was held captive in Oldtown for a period of time -- and, of course, Tecumseh.
Historians believe Tecumseh was born in this region of Ohio sometime between 1764 and 1771. Tecumseh was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands. He fought to preserve native land against westward expansion and the U.S. military.
And that's why this site in Oldtown that was formerly the Tecumseh Motel was selected as the location for Ohio's 76th State Park: Great Council State Park.
While small, this half-acre park will pack quite the historic punch, transforming Oldtown into a living history museum for the public to enjoy for generations to come.
The state park's centerpiece will be a 12,000-square-foot interpretive center that's the perfect marriage of form and function; it's built in an architectural design based on the traditional council house form historically used by the Shawnee tribes. Inside, visitors will find three floors of exhibits, a theater area, a living stream, and a gallery. All these displays will honor the Shawnee tribes of the past and allow present-day members to share their stories and legacy.
To that end, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) consulted with three sovereign and federally recognized Shawnee Tribes -- the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, the Shawnee Tribe, and the Absentee Shawnee -- to respectfully preserve and highlight this important historical site.
Did you know about this new Ohio State Park? We’re ready to give Great Council State Park a warm welcome! Visit the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to learn more and track the progress of this soon-to-open park.
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