Thursday marks on year since eight Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks were named UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Last year, the Great Circle and Octagon earthworks in Newark, five earthworks at the Hopewell Cultural National Historical Park near Chillicothe, and Fort Ancient in Warren County became the 25th World Heritage Site in the U.S. and the first in Ohio.
Ohio History Connection says World Heritage status has increased visits to the earthworks, including at the Great Circle in Newark. From July 2023 to June 2024, OHC noted more than 9,000 additional visitors compared to the same time period during the previous the year.
And so far in 2024, the Great Circle and Octagon have seen more than 10,000 visitors, up from about 8,000 last year and just 3,000 the year before.
“It's not just about the numbers, but it's also about the knowledge that that people already have and their level of interest."- Ohio History Connection Chief Historic Sites Officer Jennifer Altman
Those numbers, however, don’t show the whole picture, because the Newark sites are not always staffed, and not all visitors stop into the small museum there, according to OHC Chief Historic Sites Officer Jennifer Altman.
Altman also said the numbers aren’t the only marker of a successful first year.
“It's not just about the numbers, but it's also about the knowledge that people already have and their level of interest,” Altman said.
She said visitors are showing up with deeper knowledge of the American Indian sites, which were built by one basket of earth at a time.
“If you go to a place like Stonehenge or the pyramids that you've been hearing about your whole life and, you know, this is kind of the top tier of cultural heritage in the world, there is sort of like a reverence,” Altman said. “I think we're starting to see that, which is really exciting.”
Altman said site staff have also noted that visitors are coming from further away, including some people coming from out of state and even out of the country.
REALTED: Ohio celebrates its first UNESCO World Heritage Site with reimagined rest stop
Those people stay in the area longer and visit hotels and restaurants, contributing to the local economy. The economic impact of an out-of-town visitor is about three times as much as a local one, Altman said.
“We’re definitely seeing the benefits,” Altman said of World Heritage status.
Ohio History Connection will celebrate the anniversary on Saturday at the Great Circle, which is located at 455 Hebron Road in Heath. A plaque will be dedicated at 10:30 a.m., followed by guided tours at 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m., demonstrations of earthwork building, and atlatl throwing through 4 p.m.
“An atlatl is a spear thrower,” Altman explained. The sling-like device was used by ancient hunters to throw spears further than they could with just their arms.
Altman said kids love atlatl throwing – and staff sometimes sneak in a bit of physics to explain why it makes spear throwing so much easier.
Events will also be held on Thursday and throughout the weekend at Fort Ancient, which is located at 6123 State Route 350 in Oregonia. A plaque will be unveiled at 3 p.m. Thursday. A guided tour is set for 1 p.m. on Friday and a presentation on ancient wooden architecture is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Looking forward to its second year as a World Heritage Site, Altman said Ohio History Connection is creating a trail so visitors know how to best visit all of the World Heritage Sites and other important spots along the way.
"When you're driving across southern Ohio, you're always driving past other earthworks and mounds," Altman said.
Starting on Jan. 1, 2025, the Octagon earthworks in Newark, which is currently a golf course, will be fully open to the public.
