NEWARK – The Ohio History Connection is inviting community members from Central Ohio and all over the state to the Octagon Earthworks at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, for the site’s first day of full public access.
The Octagon, 125 N. 33rd St. in Newark, is one of the eight locations comprising the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The site is open to the public for the first time in more than a century.
On Aug. 1, the Ohio History Connection announced a settlement with Moundbuilders Country Club to buy out its lease on the property, which began in 1910; the Ohio History Connection was deeded the property in 1933.
“Jan. 1 is the start of a new year, and it’s also the beginning of a new era for the Octagon Earthworks,” said Ohio History Connection Executive Director and CEO Megan Wood.
“Whether you’re a longtime supporter or a first-time visitor, this day is all about community and connection. We hope community members bring their families, friends and curiosity.”
The first day of full public access to the Octagon will include coffee, conversation and guided tours – all free – at the Octagon Earthworks Visitor Center.
Event schedule
The event schedule includes:
- 11 a.m. – An immersive guided tour of the Octagon Earthworks.
- 1 p.m. – Coffee and conversation, including a welcome from Wood and exciting updates about the future of the Octagon.
- 2 p.m. – A second guided tour for those who wish to dive deeper into the history of the site.
The Visitor Center will be open until 4 p.m. Jan. 1. After Jan. 1, the Octagon property will be open to visitors daily during daylight hours, and employees will be at the Visitor Center during posted hours.
For more information about the Jan. 1 event, go to hopewellearthworks.org/octagon-earthworks-community-day/.
Ohio History Connection
The Ohio History Connection is a statewide history organization with the mission to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered in 1885, the Ohio History Connection carries out history services for Ohio and its citizens focused on preserving and sharing the state’s history.
This includes housing the State Historic Preservation Office and the official state archives and managing more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio. For more information, go to ohiohistory.org.
The Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Foundation provide support for Ohio History Connection programs.
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks
The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are Ohio’s first World Heritage Site and the 25th World Heritage Listing in the United States.
The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks include eight locations in Ohio that are managed by the National Park Service and Ohio History Connection.
They include the Mound City Group, Hopewell Mound Group, Seip Earthworks, High Bank Works and Hopeton Earthworks at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe; the Great Circle Earthworks and Octagon Earthworks in Heath and Newark; and the Fort Ancient Earthworks and Nature Preserve in Oregonia.
These earthworks were built by Native Americans between 1,600 and 2,000 years ago.
They are complex masterpieces of landscape architecture and are exceptional among ancient monuments worldwide in their enormous scale, geometric precision and astronomical alignments.
For more information about the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, go to hopewellearthworks.org.
