12,000BC to Mid 1800's: 12,000 B.C. Primitive peoples inhabited the Fall Line plateau 900-1100 A.D. Early Indians of the Mississippi Culture built ceremonial mounds near the river ... The area became the largest inhabited site in the region 1500 Hitchiti (later part of the Creek Indian Confederacy) occupied the plateau 1540 Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto traversed region Priests in party baptized Indian converts in the Ocmulgee River 1690 Traders from English colony at Charleston established a post at Ocmulgee Fields to augment ties with Creeks 1702 "Battle of the Blankets" on the Flint River stopped Spanish expansion short of Macon 1703 James Moore of South Carolina and Creek Confederates from Ocmulgee Fields eliminated Spanish power in southwest Georgia and northwest Florida 1739 General James Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia colony, visited Ocmulgee Fields with ranger party 1774 William Bartram, celebrated English naturalist visited and described Ocmulgee River at Macon 1806 U.S. Fort Hawkins, frontier outpost, was built on hill overlooking Ocmulgee Fields 1812 Fort Hawkins hosted General Andrew, Jackson 1819 Creeks gathered for last time in a great encounter at Ocmulgee Old Fields...McCall brothers established city's first business venture, a barge-building operation, in Ocmulgee Fields 1823 City was laid out and incorporated...Named for North Carolina statesman Nathaniel Macon ... Myron Bartlett founded the Telegraph 1825 General Lafayette of Revolutionary fame visited Macon...Macon volunteers formed 1829 First steamboat, the North Carolina, arrived in Macon from Cape Fear River 1836 First college in the world chartered to confer degrees upon women (now Wesleyan College) 1838 Monroe Railroad completed to Forsyth 1842 Poet Sidney Lanier was born in Macon...Central Railroad completed line from Savannah, linking Macon by rail to Atlantic coast ports 1848 Electromagnetic Telegraph joined Macon to Augusta, Savannah, Washington D.C., Columbus and New Orleans 1851 Academy for the Blind organized ... First chartered sorority in the world founded at Wesleyan College, the Adelpheans (now Alpha Delta Pi) 1852 The Philomathean Sorority founded at Wesleyan (now Phi Mu) ... Macon Gas Light Company formed 1862 Official arsenal of the Confederate Government moved to Macon 1863 Macon City Hall converted for use as hospital for wounded from the battle fields...Confederate Government established official depository for gold reserves under the direction of William Butler Johnson 1864 Two major Union attacks repelled by the Georgia Militia under General Howell Cobb...City Hall made temporary State Capitol of Georgia Mid 1800's to 2000's: 1865 City occupied by Federal Major General James H. Wilson ... Ariadne Woodliff opened the first school for black children in the basement of her father's home 1871 Mercer University moved to Macon from original site at Penfield, Georgia 1872 One of the oldest Black communities, Pleasant Hill was organized covering 430 acres 1880 Telephone Exchange opened for business 1882 First electric lights installed 1886 Ocmulgee River frozen from bank to bank ... Earthquake occurred, lasted three minutes 1911 Douglass Theatre opened on Broadway by Charles H. Douglas 1917 Camp Wheeler construction begun 1922 First Macon radio station (WMAZ) established 1932 Richard Wayne Penniman, known as Little Richard, was born December 5, 1932 one of twelve children 1933 Civilian Conservation Corps began work at Ocmulgee Fields ... First archeological excavations begun 1936 Ocmulgee National Monument established by Presidential Proclamation and run by the National Park Service 1950 Joe Louis fought a benefit bout in Macon 1955 Singer James Brown records his first single "Please Please Please" at the studio of WIBB 1965 First state fair is held in Central City Park 1960 Otis Redding performs at the Douglass Theatre 1967 Marine Sgt. Rodney Maxwell Davis, Macon's only Medal of Honor recipient, gave his life to protect his platoon in Vietnam when he threw himself on a hand grenade 1968 Macon Junior College, now Macon State College, founded 1971 Duane Allman, of the Allman Brothers Band, dies tragically in a motorcycle accident 1973 Rosa P. Burgee becomes the first African American woman to be hired as a police officer in the Macon Police Department's 150 year history 1983 The first Cherry Blossom festival is held 1994 The Great Flood...Ocmulgee River overflowed banks and levee following month-long rains 1999 Mayor C. Jack Ellis in December 1999, became the first black Mayor in the 176-year history of the City   Information Provided By: • Tubman African American Museum 340 Walnut Street Macon, GA 31201 Phone: (478) 743-8544 • Macon Historical Society 935 High Street Macon, GA 31201 (478) 743-3851 • Macontelegraph 120 Broadway Macon, GA 31201 (478) 744-4200

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