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Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

From about 200 BC to 500 AD, the Ohio River Valley was a focal point of the prehistoric Hopewell culture. The term Hopewell describes a broad network of beliefs and practices among different Native American groups over a large portion of eastern North America. The culture is characterized by the construction of enclosures made of earthen walls, often built in geometric patterns, and mounds of various shapes.

The most striking Hopewell sites contain earthworks in the form of squares, circles, and other geometric shapes. Many of these sites were built to a monumental scale, with earthen walls up to 12 feet high outlining geometric figures more than 1000 feet across. Conical and loaf-shaped earthen mounds up to 30 feet high are often found.

The park contains nationally significant archeological resources including large earthwork and mound complexes that provide an insight into the social, ceremonial, political, and economic life of the Hopewell people.

Our Work at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

National Park Foundation Junior Ranger Program Initiatives

Junior Ranger Program Initiatives were developed to assist national parks in strengthening, enhancing, delivering and promoting Junior Ranger ……continue »