OHIO — A new state park coming to Greene County aims to be an ode to a piece of Ohio history. 

Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz announced Tuesday the park will be located in Oldtown, which is now the site of the Tecumseh Motel in Xenia. 

But the site is also known as the largest-known settlements of the Shawnee, and historians commonly refer to the area as the birthplace of Tecumseh, who was known to be a Shawnee military and political leader. He fought to preserve native land against American westward expansion and the U.S. military. 

“Preserving this site gives us a unique opportunity to connect today’s generation of Ohioans with the past,” said DeWine. “By protecting this property, we are preserving Tecumseh’s legacy and Ohio’s long, rich history.”

ODNR got the green light Tuesday from The State Controlling Board to purchase the motel for $260,000. The half-acre property will be turned into Ohio's 76th state park. 

In order to preserve and highlight the site's historical importance, ODNR plans to work with three federally-recognized tribes: Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, the Shawnee Tribe, and the Absentee Shawnee. Plans are still in the works, but historical markers already present will be preserved. The state park will also have an interpretive center and new historical markers to document the past.