Planes, Trains & Heroes: A Story of Warner Robins and the Robins Region

him. Columbus, living in the era of Guttenberg’s
printing press, brought European attention to a
New World. Estimated populations of
indigenous peoples living in America before
Columbus’ arrival range from 2.1 to 18 million.
In the Warner Robins area, these peoples
include the mound builders known as
Mississippian or Master Farmers, the Uchee,
Hitchiti, Weeden Island Culture, Muskogee-
Creek and others. Their oral histories, passed
from generation to generation, were lost much
to decimation of their populations by exposure
to European diseases. Only archeological
records remain that researchers piece together
upon each discovery.
When the U.S. government acquires an
area for development, researchers conduct
archeological studies. This occurred at Macon’s
Ocmulgee National Monument. The work there
set the stage for archeological surveys at Robins
Air Force Base:
In December of 1933 Dr. Arthur Kelly arrived
at Ocmulgee Old Fields in Macon, Georgia to
Above: A fragment of a stone wall
built by early Native Americans.
Houston County, Georgia, has been
home to Native American cultures for
thousands of years.
Below: Clockwise, from top, left): Rose
chert, a shard of Kasita red pottery,
paleo fossils, and a chunk of pottery
from the Mississipian or earlier
Woodland culture.
PHOTOGRAPHED COURTESY OF OCMULGEE
NATIONAL MONUMENT.
Chapter One ✦ 9