Shrum Mound
3141 Mckinley AveColumbus, OH 43204
800-840-6127 | https://www.ohiohistory.org/
Shrum Mound
Shrum Mound, one of the last existing burial mounds of the Native American Adena Culture in Franklin County, is located within Campbell Park just west of the Scioto River.
Shrum Mound, one of the last existing burial mounds of the Native American Adena Culture in Franklin County, is located within Campbell Park just west of the Scioto River. The peoples who formed the Adena Cultural were among the earliest inhabitants of Ohio. The Adena made their homes across the central and southern portions of the state and into Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky between 500 B.C.E. to 200 A.C.E. Adena Culture was comprised of various Native American communities united by a common set of burial practices and symbols. Mounds, which were often constructed near waterways, were an essential element within the burial tradition of which Shrum Mound is a part.
The mound, which is roughly 20 feet tall and 100 feet in diameter, gained its current name from the family that owned the land before it was acquired by the Ohio History Connection. Over the years the mound has fared well. Franklin County was once home to well over 100 mounds and two dozen earthworks, the majority of which have been lost to human development. Four similar burial mounds in Franklin County were lost due to the construction of the Alum Creek Lake reservoir in the early 1970s. Fortunately, Shrum Mound has remained unexcavated and mostly undisturbed, though Ohio History Connection removed trees from the mound in 2015. Due to its historical significance, the mound was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and continues to be an important example of central Ohio’s precontact Native American history and culture.
Notes for Travelers
Shrum Mound is adjacent to a two-lane road that passes very close to the park entrance. There is space for parking off of the road to allow a small number of visitors to park, however buses and other large vehicles are likely to be too large for this space. There are no restrooms or paved pathways on the park grounds, so visitors will need to plan accordingly. The park is compact and can be fully enjoyed within 30 minutes to an hour.