20-03-2025
Chickamauga Nation raises concerns over Franklin County prison site
CHARLESTON, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Chickamauga Nation is voicing opposition to the proposed construction of a 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County, arguing that the site may contain culturally significant burial grounds.
The group claims the land, located north of Charleston, was promised to the Chickamauga by President Thomas Jefferson in 1809 as part of a land exchange.
According to an article on the Chickamauga Nation website, the area includes 'Stone Box Graves,' a burial practice historically used by their ancestors.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC), which is overseeing the project, acknowledged that concerns about a possible Native American burial site were raised early in the planning process.
The DOC said in a statement that it has been 'mindful of these concerns' and has completed preliminary assessments and has found 'no evidence of a burial site to date.'
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