One of my philosophies
is that everyone should explore their own community and learn the rich history
it contains. Recently I discovered that I was a good example of someone who
thought they knew the history of their community pretty well but really only
knew part of the story….
My story begins with a
visit to a newly restored 1912 post office that was being presented by my local
historical society.[1]
While there, I struck up a conversation with a few of volunteers and in no time
the discussion turned to local history and Indian mounds. Being well read on
the subject, I was asked if I knew much about the mound that was located on a nearby
island. Of course I knew of the mound but explained that I didn’t think that
there was a whole lot to tell. We exchanged a few more stories about local
history and after complimenting them on the beautifully restored post office, I
proceeded to get on with my day.
Later that same week I
was contacted by a representative of the Indian Lake Historical Society and
asked if I would be interesting in undertaking an exploratory inquiry into the
local Indian Mound. Knowing that the mound has never been fully excavated and convinced
that little is known about the mound, I thought it would only take a few calls and minor
research to acquire all the known information. I said yes…. and so began my
discovery of a history that has nearly been forgotten by everyone.
The subject of my
inquiry was a mound known as the Dunn’s Pond mound. It is located on the south eastern shore of Indian Lake Ohio.
It is nearly twelve feet tall at its highest point and has a diameter of approximately eighty feet. The mound itself was built around 2500 years ago during the time of
the Hopewell culture. It is very likely a burial mound.[2]
At one time the mound
was part of 15 mound group that stood alongside a marsh littered with islands, ponds
and streams all connecting to the Great Miami River.[3] However,
after the signing of the Lewistown Treaty and the creation of Indian Lake the
fate of fourteen of the fifteen mounds along with much of the original landscape was sealed.[4]
Modern researchers
don’t know exactly what happened to 14 of the 15 mounds. Most researchers
believe that the mounds met their fate during the expansion and colonization of
the Lewistown (Indian Lake) region. The mounds are most likely under the lake
or plowed into oblivion in favor of farming interests and urban sprawl.
Ironically the people
who built the mounds are in some ways responsible for their own demise… How can a 3000 year old culture be
responsible for the actions of people whom they never came in contact with?..............I
will explain the connection a little later in the post… but first let’s get
back to the mound.
Since it is very likely
to find a Hopewell burial mound within close proximity to a village and it is
also likely to find villages within close proximity to waterways, it is of no
surprise that the Dunn’s Pond Mound overlooks, what was originally; a
collection of streams and creeks that fed a marsh leading to the Miami River.
3000 years ago this area would have been prime real estate for a group of
horticulturalists like the Hopewell Indians.[5]
With a group of 15 mounds within a close proximity of one another it is highly
likely that there was a significant population of ancient Native Americans
living within the area that is now called Indian Lake. However, don’t picture a
bunch of Indians trying to stay warm and dry while living in a tee pee, that is
not how the Hopewell lived.
The Hopewell lived in
small communities of 2 to 12 families called hamlets and they lived in thatch
wattle houses
Each village or hamlet
was associated with a mound or a series of mounds. So, the fact that there were
15 mounds all located within a few yards of each other tells us that there must
have been a significant population to support all of those mounds.[6]
However, little evidence remains of their existence. Even though there were
ruins of villages documented in the late 1800’s there are no signs of them
today. Most likely the villages met the same fate as the majority of the
mounds, and were demolished in favor of European expansion. The sad fact is that
there is little to no surviving artifacts of the Hopewell anywhere at Indian Lake.
There are no surviving village ruins, no grand ceremonial earthworks, and since
we are talking about pre historic times, there is no written history to pass on.
The lone testament to the people who called this place home long before the
white man arrived is the Dunn’s Pond mound and it stands largely unexplored and
nearly forgotten.
Why
should we care about a mound that was built by people who were not of European
or African heritage and died out hundreds of years before we even arrived on
this continent?
Like it or not those of
us living in the good ‘ol USA owe a debt of gratitude to the Hopewell. They were
the first culture in the Americas to not only explore the art of long term
farming but to invent many of the methods that were passed on from generation
to generation.
When the white man
first settled in the new world it was the natives who taught them how to plant
maze, beans and squash, the very same foods harvested by the Hopewell. It is
very well documented that the first successful settlements in America could not
have survived without the help of the Native Americans and the Native Americans
are decedents of the Hopewell people. …….So if it were not for the Hopewell’s
dedication to farming the natives who helped the settlers may not have had the
knowledge to share with the Europeans and if not for the shared knowledge about
farming, the Europeans would not have survived in the New World.[7] However, because of the Hopewell; there was a
knowledge about farming that could be passed on to the Europeans and because of
that knowledge, European settlements found success. Once the Europeans found
success they began to expand and we all know what happened when the Europeans
decided to expand across the continent. Needless to say it didn’t far very well
for the Natives inhabitants let alone the ancient ruins that had very little
meaning to those who felt that the native culture was inferior to their own.
With that in mind it is
not a surprise that the Dunn’s Pond Mound is one of the few surviving things
that still remains of an ancient culture that once dominated the Indian Lake
region. It is also no surprise that most people couldn’t care less about the
giant dirt hill and it is of little surprise that the mound sits unkempt,
overgrown and forgotten by most. However, what I discovered during my inquiry
on the mound was that this mound was not simple a forgotten eyesore of a culture
that has little to do with the one that exists today. Instead I discovered that
if it were not for the Hopewell; me, you, and practically every other person
living in North America may not have had the chance to grow up in what once
called the New World. The New World would not have been colonized if it were
not for the lessons in farming passed on by the Native Americans and so the next
time you see you hear about an Indian Mound and you ask yourself why bother,
remember the horticulturalists of the Hopewell culture.
Like it or not those
mounds of dirt are not simply ruins of a conquered people, those mounds are part
of the story of us and part of the American culture.
[1] Abbi Adelsbergerl, and Cole McDaniel,
"Open house set for historic post office at Indian Lake," Peak of
Ohio, July 6, 2016,
http://peakofohio.com/news/details.cfm?id=218106#.WVWJJulGm70.
[2] Sean R. Heights, An Inquiry into the
Indian Lake Mounds, Inquiry and Field Study May11 - June 18, 2017, Indian
Lake Historical Society, Russells Point, Ohio: Heights on History, 2017.
[3] William C. Mills,
1860-1928,"Archaeological Atlas of Ohio,” Logan County, page 46, Ohio
Digital Resource Commons. 1914,
https://drc.ohiolink.edu/handle/2374.OX/169348.
[4] Charles J. Kappler, ed. "Vol. II,
Treaties: Treaty With the Seneca, Etc., 1831," Indian Affairs: Laws and
Treaties, pgs, 327-33,.
Government Printing Office, 1904,
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/Vol2/treaties/sen0327.htm.
[5] Susan L.Woodward, and Jerry N. McDonald, Indian
Mounds of the Middle Ohio Valley: A Guide to Adena and Ohio Hopewell Sites,
McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company, 1986.
[6] Bradley Thomas Lepper, Ohio
Archaeology: An Illustrated Chronicle of Ohio's Ancient American Indian
Culture, Wilmington, Ohio: Orange Frazer Press, 2005, pg78 – 170.
[7] Dave Zuchowski, "Native Americans
played-crucial role in settlers survival," Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Nov.
24, 2010,
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2010/11/24/Native-Americans-played-crucial-role-in-settlers-survival/stories/201011240253.
Photography and Art
(Hopewell
Hamlet) : http://archive.archaeology.org/online/features/hopewell/who_were_hopewell.html
Restoration Has Begun
A
lot has happened since the rediscovery of the Dunn’s Pond Mound. The short
little inquiry I performed led to a presentation that set attendance records
at the historical society. Even though very few people were aware of its existence prior to the presentation, the Mound sparked a flood of interest and action. It seems that once people knew about the mound the
more people felt connected to it and the more they wanted to save it for future generations.... So.... back to the mound I went.
My inquiry turned into a
full blown historical survey of the sight that was presented to the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources and the Ohio Parks Department for review. Within a few weeks
the Parks Department agreed to turn the restoration and preservation
responsibilities over to the Indian Lake Area Historical Society. With
that a few legal documents were signed and the Dunn's Pond Mound became the Historical Societies
responsibility.
Wanting
to do things correctly modern day horticulturalists as well as mound
preservationists were consulted. After all the opinions were heard and a strategy was determined, the process of restoration was set into
motion.
The entire restoration and public presentation process will take months if not
years to complete but at least the process has begun. We are one step closer to guaranteeing that this 2000 year old
representation of the past will be around for future generations to study and enjoy. Goes to show how much can be accomplished when you explore the history of your own community and get involved.
For the time being the ancient burial sight known as the Dunn's Pond Mound is safe from modern expansion and once again it can rise up out of the Ohio wilderness and stare down at the waters of the Great Miami River and once again become a spiritual place of contemplation and wander.
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| Dunn's Pond Mound before restoration |
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| Dunn's Pond Mound after the first stage of restoration September 2017 |
