Great Hopewell Road facts for kids

The Great Hopewell Road is believed to be an ancient pathway built by the Hopewell culture. This culture lived in Ohio about 2,000 to 1,500 years ago (from 100 BCE to 500 CE). The road is thought to connect two very important Hopewell sites: the Newark and Chillicothe earthworks. These two places are about 60 miles (97 km) apart in the middle of Ohio, United States. The amazing earthworks at Newark were built between 2,000 and 1,800 years ago.

Discovering the Ancient Road

People have been curious about the Great Hopewell Road for a long time.

Early Explorers

In 1862, two brothers named Charles and James Salisbury explored the first 6 miles (9.7 km) of this road. They noticed that it had parallel earthen banks, like walls, about 200 feet (61 m) apart. These banks led away from the famous Newark Earthworks. The brothers believed the road went much farther south, heading towards Chillicothe. Other explorers from the 1800s, like Ephraim G. Squier and Edwin H. Davis, also wrote about these walls near Newark. Today, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) part of the road, from the Newark Octagon south to Ramp Creek, is called the "Van Voorhis Walls."

Modern Technology Helps

In the 1930s, planes were used to survey the area from above. This showed that parts of the road stretched for about 12 miles (19 km) towards Chillicothe. More recently, a cool technology called LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) has been used. LiDAR uses lasers to create detailed maps of the ground, even through trees. This technology has helped confirm the road's path. It even showed that the road was often lower than the land around it, almost like a sunken path between its earthen walls.

Searching for More Clues

Dr. Brad Lepper is a modern expert who strongly believes in the Great Hopewell Road. He thinks there are still signs of the road in four more places along the 60-mile (97 km) line between Newark and Chillicothe.

Seeing the Road from Above

Sometimes, parts of the road can be seen from an airplane. Special infrared photography can also help reveal its hidden traces. This is because the ground where the road once was might hold moisture differently than the surrounding soil. There are other ancient sites where similar sacred roads have been found. More "ground truthing" (checking on the ground) is needed, but the evidence so far is very promising.

The Van Voorhis Walls and Beyond

The first 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of the Newark Earthworks, known as the Van Voorhis Walls, is a confirmed part of the ancient earthwork. This section ends at Ramp Creek in Heath, Ohio. South of Ramp Creek, the path of the Hopewell Road goes through fields towards Millersport, Ohio. Old records and the 1930s aerial photos suggest the road might continue south of Ramp Creek. A recent study in 2016 looked at all the past research. It found enough evidence to suggest that archaeologists should keep looking for more parts of the Great Hopewell Road south of Ramp Creek.