The Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Association (CIHA) began as a committee of the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, which operated in both Alabama and Georgia and was dedicated to the history of both sides of the river. The CIHA was incorporated in Georgia under the name Creek Indian Heritage Memorial Association, Inc. (CIHMA) on May 2, 1988. On December 18, 1990 the name was officially amended by the Georgia Secretary of State to the Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Association. The CIHA was dissolved on September 10, 2010, although it continued to meet until the mid-2010s. There is correspondence in 2014 regarding an application for reinstatement, which apparently did not occur.

The mission of the CIHMA was "to educate the public with regard to the significant role played by the Creek Indians in shaping the history and culture of the Chattahoochee River Valley area".

This mission was broadened to include Yuchi/Yuchee and Muscogee/Muskogee tribal involvement under its later names as well. Their primary activities during its earlier years were to build a monument to the Indian Heritage of the Chattahoochee Valley at a site at Fort Mitchell, Alabama, and later to build and maintain an adjacent Indian Heritage Center. The final phase of their endeavors was to build and maintain an interpretive trail, highlighting native plants known to and used by the original inhabitants of the area. These records document the initial organization of the CIHA, as well as subsequent fund raising, choices of designs and construction funds, grant applications, efforts to coordinate the needs of both Alabama and Georgia legal requirements and membership issues. Board of Directors meetings were held at least quarterly, with special called meetings throughout the year. The annual meeting was usually held in December. Also present are records relating to the annual Indian Cultural Festival which began in Albany, Georgia in 1988 and continued as the Columbus Annual Indian Festival until 2006.