Hopewell Culture National Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hopewell Culture National Historical Park |
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Restored mounds in the Hopewell Culture NHP
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 Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
Location in Ohio
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ross County, Ohio, United States |
| Nearest city | Chillicothe, Ohio |
| Area | 1,170 acres (4.7 km2) |
| Established | March 2, 1923 |
| Visitors | 33,834 (in 2011) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Hopewell Culture National Historical Park |
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is a special place in Ohio, United States. It protects amazing ancient structures built by the Hopewell culture. These structures include large earthworks and burial mounds. The Hopewell people were indigenous peoples who lived here a very long time ago, from about 200 BC to AD 500.
The park is made up of six different sites in Ross County, Ohio. One of the most famous parts is the former Mound City Group National Monument. The park helps us learn about the history and culture of the Hopewell people through archaeology. The National Park Service, part of the United States Department of the Interior, takes care of the park.
In 2008, the park was considered for an even bigger honor. It was added to a list of places that the United States might nominate as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are places around the world that are very important to everyone's history.
Contents
Exploring the Park Sites
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is not just one place. It includes six different areas, each with unique features. You can visit some of these sites to see the ancient earthworks up close.
Mound City Group: The Main Spot
Mound City Group is where you'll find the park's visitor center. It's the only site that has been fully restored to look like it did long ago. This is a great place to start your visit and learn more.
- Location: 16062 State Route 104, Chillicothe, OH 45601
Other Important Hopewell Sites
The park also protects several other significant Hopewell sites. Each one offers a glimpse into the past.
- Seip Earthworks: This site is located at 7078 US Route 50, Bainbridge, OH 45612.
- Spruce Hill Earthworks: You need a special permit to visit this site. Contact the visitor center for details.
- Hopewell Mound Group: This site is found at 4731 Sulphur Lick Rd., Chillicothe, OH 45601.
- Hopeton Earthworks: You can find this site at 990 Hopeton Rd., Chillicothe, OH 45601.
- High Bank Works: As of August 2020, this site is not open to the public.
Understanding the Hopewell Culture
The Hopewell culture was a group of Native American peoples. They lived in eastern North America, especially in the Ohio River Valley. This culture thrived from about 200 BC to AD 500. The name "Hopewell" comes from the landowner who owned one of the mound sites.
Amazing Earthworks and Mounds
The Hopewell people were incredible builders. They created huge earthworks and mounds. These structures were often in perfect geometric shapes like squares and circles. Some earthen walls were as tall as 12 feet (3.7 m)! The figures they outlined could be more than 1,000 feet (300 m) across.
They also built conical (cone-shaped) and loaf-shaped mounds. Some of these mounds were as high as 30 feet (9.1 m). The Hopewell people knew a lot about the local soil. They mixed different types of earth to make their structures strong and stable. Building these required many people working together. They carried earth in handwoven baskets, which shows great organization.
Mound City: A Special Burial Place
Mound City is a very important part of the park. It's located about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Chillicothe along the Scioto River. This site has 23 earthen mounds built by the Hopewell people.
Each mound at Mound City covered the remains of a "charnel house." These were special buildings where the Hopewell people prepared their dead. After they cremated the dead, they would burn the charnel house. Then, they built a mound over the remains. They also placed valuable items inside the mounds. These items included copper figures, shiny mica, sharp projectile points, shells, and unique pipes.
Discovery and Protection of the Sites
People of European descent first mapped the Mound City site in the 1840s. Two early archaeologists, Ephraim George Squier and Edwin Hamilton Davis, were the first to dig there. They collected many artifacts from the mounds. Today, many of these artifacts are kept safe at the British Museum.
A Difficult Time and Restoration
Sadly, much of Mound City was destroyed during World War I. The United States Army built a military training base called Camp Sherman right on the site. After the war, the camp was taken down.
From 1920 to 1922, the Ohio Historical Society began an archaeological excavation. They carefully dug up the site to learn more. After that, they worked to rebuild and restore the mounds. In 1923, the United States Department of the Interior declared Mound City Group a National Monument. This meant the federal government would protect it.
Expanding the Park
In 1992, Mound City Group became much larger. It was renamed Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. This new park included four other nearby earthwork and mound systems. Two of these sites in Ross County are open to the public and are close to Mound City:
- Seip Earthworks: About 17 miles (27 km) west of Chillicothe on U.S. Route 50.
- Hopewell Mound Group: This is where the original 1891 excavation happened on the land of Mordecai Hopewell. The Hopewell culture is named after him!
- Hopeton Earthworks: Located across the Scioto River from Mound City.
- High Bank Works: This site is currently closed to the public.
The Ohio Historical Society also manages other important mound systems in southern Ohio. These include National Historic Landmarks like Fort Ancient, Newark Earthworks, and Serpent Mound. Sadly, about fifteen other mound complexes in the county have been lost over time due to farming or city growth.
What You Can See and Do
The national park protects very important archaeological sites. These large earthworks and mound complexes help us understand the Hopewell people. They show us how complex their social, ceremonial, political, and economic lives were.
At the park's visitor center, you can see museum exhibits. These displays feature artifacts found at Mound City Group. You can also watch an orientation film to learn more. There's a book sales area, and you can take self-guided or guided tours of the site.
