Ogden-Fettie Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ogden-Fettie Site
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Lewistown, Illinois |
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| Area | 200 acres (81 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000458 |
| Added to NRHP | July 31, 1972 |
The Ogden-Fettie Site is an ancient place in Fulton County, Illinois, near Lewistown. It's where people from long ago built large earth mounds. This site was created during a time called the Woodland period, roughly between 100 B.C. and 400 A.D. It's connected to a group of people known as the Havana Hopewell culture.
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Discovering the Ogden-Fettie Site
The Ogden-Fettie Site is special because it shows us how ancient people lived. It helps us understand their beliefs and how they organized their communities. Archaeologists study places like this to learn about the past.
Who Were the Havana Hopewell?
The Havana Hopewell were a group of Native American people. They lived in the Midwest of North America. They were known for building large earthworks, including burial mounds and enclosures. These people were part of the larger Hopewell culture. They lived by farming, hunting, and gathering food.
What Are the Mounds Like?
At the Ogden-Fettie Site, there are thirty-five mounds. They are arranged in a curved, crescent shape. Imagine a giant smile made of earth! The biggest mound is about 15 feet (4.6 m) tall. It stands near the center of the site.
There's also a village area close to this main mound. Four smaller mounds and the village form a unique five-sided shape. This kind of shape is called a pentagon.
A Special Enclosure
Building large enclosures was common for the Hopewell people who lived in Ohio. But the Ogden-Fettie Site is very special. It has the only known pentagon-shaped enclosure west of Ohio. This makes the site a truly unique historical treasure. It shows that the Havana Hopewell people had advanced building skills.
Protecting History
The Ogden-Fettie Site is an important part of history. To protect it, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 31, 1972. This is an official list of places in the United States that are important to history. Being on this list helps make sure the site is preserved for future generations.
