Stephanie Stanley, Assistant Editor of thePike County News Watchman, has written the most in depth and thoughtful article yet to appear on the Heartland Earthworks Conservancy‘s salvage efforts at the North Bridge Street Mound.
For her article, “Unearthing the Past: Mound excavation concludes this weekend,” she interviewed Jarrod Burks, president of Heartland Earthworks Conservancy, John Barnhart, president of the Mound City Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Ohio, and me.
She gets that it’s not just about the science. It’s about honoring the ancient American Indian legacy.
It’s about recognizing that our heritage is not just something that gets in the way of economic development. That legacy can be a huge benefit to the economies of Ohio communities — especially in the context of the potential World Heritage inscription for the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks.
As I told Stanley, “The ancient American Indian monuments of Pike County and Ohio are priceless remnants of the lost chapters of Ohio history.”
“They should be appreciated in their own right for the stories they can tell about the original Americans” — but also for the economic benefits of heritage tourism, which they can provide to Ohio communities.
Check out the article as well as the gallery of images showing work at the North Bridge Street Mound.
