When were the mounds excavated?

Many of the mounds at the park have been excavated in historic times. Although earthworks were mapped in the 1810s by Caleb Atwater, mound excavations formally begun in the 1840s by Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis, both Chillicothe residents. Additional mound excavations occurred at the close of the nineteenth century and into the first quarter of the twentieth century by Warren Moorehead, William Mills, and Henry Shetrone. Much of the information gained from these excavations is used today to understand the Hopewell culture.

How do you pronounce “Chillicothe” and “Scioto”? What are the origins for these names?

Chillicothe (chil-akoth-E) is the town where the park is located. The name derives from a Shawnee word for principal town.

The Scioto (sei-O-tuh) River flows past the Mound City Group unit. The name derives from a Shawnee word for deer.

What other National Park Service sites are in Ohio?

The National Park Service has eight sites in Ohio. In addition to Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, the units are:

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves over 33,000 acres of the pastoral Cuyahoga River Valley between Akron and Cleveland.
• Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park preserves the legacy of Paul Laurence Dunbar, Wilbur and Orville Wright and the early development of aviation in Dayton.
• First Ladies National Historic Site preserves and interprets the roles of America’s First Ladies and their impacts on our nation’s social and political history.
• James A. Garfield National Historic Site preserves and interprets the story and personal belongings of the 20th President of the United States, James A. Garfield.
• North Country National Scenic Trail links outstanding scenic, recreational, and historic areas across 3,200 miles in seven northern states including Ohio.
• Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
• William Howard Taft National Historic Site commemorates the only man to serve as President and Chief Justice of the United States.