News

  We’re No. 1! The Octagon Earthworks in Newark once again is in the national spotlight after being voted the country’s best new attraction for 2026 in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The Octagon won the popular vote and was first among the 10 new attractions voted on by USA TODAY and Gannett readers. We…

  The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks has received a grant from the Kettering Family Philanthropies for outdoor maintenance equipment at Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve. Fort Ancient is one of the eight locations in the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks comprise the single greatest concentration…

Join us for a week of commemorating the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site!     Saturday, April 12 Fort Ancient Earthworks 6123 State Route 350, Oregonia, OH 45054 10:30 a.m: Guided tour with Site Manager Bill Kennedy. Tour lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours.   Sunday, April 13 Great Circle Earthworks  455…

Plan your visit to the Octagon Earthworks, which has been open to the public since Jan. 1, 2025! The Octagon grounds are open to the public daily during daylight hours every day of the year. During the winter, guided tours are offered at noon Wednesdays through Sundays. Tours begin at the Octagon Earthworks Visitor Center,…

What does it mean to our Tribal partners? November is a time to recognize and celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of Native American communities. For our Tribal partners, it is an opportunity to honor their traditions, preserve their stories and highlight their ongoing impact in society. It’s also a moment to reflect on…

  COLUMBUS – The Ohio History Connection will open the Octagon Earthworks in Newark for full public access Jan. 1, 2025, after reaching a settlement with Moundbuilders Country Club to buy out its lease on the property. The organizations have agreed to settle for a confidential sum, averting a jury trial in the Licking County…

The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks were featured on CBS Sunday Morning. Hear from Dr. Brad Lepper, senior archaeologist at the Ohio History Connection and Dr. John Low, director of the Newark Earthworks Center and citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.

The Ohio History Connection is seeking a qualified independent consulting firm for the purposes of conducting a feasibility study for Ohio’s only UNESCO World Heritage site, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks. For more information and how to apply, please refer to the linked document below. Proposals are due Monday, January 29. Request for Proposals for a…

On Saturday, October 14, over 600 people gathered at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. They were there to celebrate the creative genius of the American Indian people we now call the Hopewell culture, who designed and constructed earthen mounds and earthworks in southern Ohio along the banks and tributaries of the Scioto River. Among the…

The Newark Earthworks, and six other connected sites in Ohio, were recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, the first such listing in Ohio. On Sunday, October 15, a commemoration was held in Newark to mark that occasion. A formal ceremony was held at the Great Circle on Hebron Road. Both Jeff Hall, the…