Press Release

(Wetumpka, AL) – On Friday, March 27, 2026, the Poarch Creek Indians will welcome a Muscogee (Creek) Nation delegation from Oklahoma to Poarch’s Hickory Ground site in Wetumpka, Ala. This site carries deep historical and cultural meaning for many Creek people across generations, and Poarch Creek Indians look forward to hosting a peaceful, private gathering at the Square Grounds, part of the Ceremonial Ground at the site.

The visit comes one day ahead of the event centered around the 212th Anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, in present day Daviston, Alabama. The battle, led by Andrew Jackson, effectively ended the Creek War and led to the U.S. federal government to assume control of more than 20 million acres of Creek land. These events ultimately forced many Hickory Ground descendants to disperse after the war. Both the Poarch Creek Indians and Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s  collective trauma and shared grief of those events endure to this day.

“We are honored to again host the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to Hickory Ground during this time to commemorate our shared heritage,” Stephanie Bryan, Poarch Creek Indians Tribal Chair & CEO, said. “While we are two distinct tribes with our own unique stories, this moment provides an opportunity to come together in remembrance of our common roots. Poarch Creek Indians continue our good-faith efforts to pursue cooperation with the Muscogee, as we both recognize our unique legacies and places in Alabama history.”

In accordance with a May 2007 agreement between the Poarch Creek Indians and Muscogee Creek Nation, the Square Grounds remain accessible  to Citizens of either Tribe who seek to honor their ancestral heritage. The Poarch Creek Indians are dedicated to preserving its strong Creek heritage, and the Tribe is proud to hold a sovereign claim to a portion of historical Hickory Ground land along the Coosa River in Wetumpka.