Cusseta (tribal town) facts for kids

Cusseta, also called Kasihta, was an important town for the Lower Creeks. The Lower Creeks were part of the Muscogee Creek Confederacy, a large group of Native American nations. Cusseta was located in what is now Georgia, close to the Ocmulgee River. In 1832, about 1,918 people lived there, making it one of the two main towns for the Lower Creek people.

Early History of Cusseta

According to the stories passed down by the Muscogee people, Cusseta was settled a very long time ago. Early Creek people from a place called Ocmulgee settled Cusseta and another town called Coweta. This happened around 900 to 1000 CE, which is over a thousand years ago!

Cusseta in the 1700s and 1800s

After a conflict known as the Yamasee War, the people of Cusseta moved. They rebuilt their town from the Chattahoochee River area to the Ocmulgee River. For many years, Cusseta was one of the oldest and most important Creek towns.

However, in the 1830s, the Creek people, along with many other Native American nations, were forced to move from their lands. This event is known as Indian Removal. A count taken in 1832–33 showed that 1,918 people lived in Cusseta before this forced move.

A very important agreement, called the Treaty of Cusseta, was signed in the town on March 24, 1832. In this treaty, leaders of the Creek Nation agreed to give up all their lands east of the Mississippi River to the United States. In return, they were promised new land west of the Mississippi, in an area then called Indian Territory. They were also supposed to receive payments for their lands.

Cusseta Today

Today, the area where the historic town of Cusseta once stood is part of Lawson Army Airfield. This airfield is located within Fort Benning, Georgia. The modern town of Cusseta, Georgia is named after the historic Muscogee Creek town. It is the closest town to the original site. There is also a town called Cusseta, Alabama that was named after this important historic town.