Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

Ohio's Historic Earthworks

The Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is composed of six separate sites in Ross County highlight pre-Columbian native peoples.

The Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is composed of six separate sites in Ross County: the High Bank Works, Hopeton Earthworks, Hopewell Mound Group, Mound City Group, Seip Earthworks and Spruce Hill Earthworks. A park visitors center, located at the Mound City Group, features exhibits with artifacts excavated from the Mound City Group, an orientation film, and information for self-guided and guided tours.

The Hopewell were an indigenous people native to the Ohio River Valley between 200 BC and AD 500. Hopewell does not refer to a specific tribe or people, in fact the name is derived from Mordecai Hopewell who owned land were Hopewell artifacts were discovered. Instead, Hopewell signifies a large and varied group of pre-Columbian Native peoples who shared similar traits like the building of complex earthworks and mounds.

Much of the original Mound City Group was destroyed during WWI when the United States Army constructed Camp Sherman, a military training base, on the site. The National Park Service has restored these earthworks and continues to conduct archeological excavations at several sites.