Credit Santa Rosa Creek Indian Tribe

If all goes as planned, a Native American cultural center will open near Milton by the end of this year. Groundbreaking is set for August 1 at 10 a.m. at the site, 4750 Willard Norris Road.

Dan Helms, an officer with the Santa Rosa County Creek Indian Tribe, says the center’s main mission is to stem the loss of Native American culture, artifacts and education.

“We have been accumulating, for more than 20 years, records, Census data, deeds, birth certificates, death certificates and all sorts of things that establish Native American bloodlines,” said Helms.

The Native American Cultural Center, which will sit on 95 acres of Creek property off Willard Norris road, is funded by a pair of grants from IMPACT 100. The first covered the building of infrastructure -- roads, underground utilities, a septic system and restroom facilities.

“The second grant is creating a 4,000 square foot. Native American cultural center, of which 3,000 sqaure feet will be enclosed. And a thousand square feet will be a covered area,” said Helms.

The enclosed area will be home to an artifacts museum, featuring about 3,000 items, along with a genealogy resource center. Helms says constriction is being put on the fast track, to be ready for the Santa Rosa Creek’s 27th annual powwow celebration the week before Thanksgiving.

Native American Cultural Center Planned For Milton