As some of you already may have heard, an act of vandalism took place at Serpent Mound in Adams County, Ohio over the July Fourth weekend.
This appears to have been a random act of vandalism that, luckily, caused minimal damage to the large, conical Adena mound and some of the surrounding grounds. Serpent Mound itself was not harmed.
As soon as the damage was discovered, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office was notified and an investigation quickly led to the identification of a suspect who has been arrested. We are thankful for the quick action by the local authorities and for the support of the community.
Serpent Mound is monitored by security cameras, which were essential to the investigation. We continue to explore ways to increase security at this important site without unnecessarily limiting public access.
When you visit Serpent Mound and other historic sites around the state during your summer travels, we ask you to keep in mind a few tips that will help us protect our priceless historic heritage:
Stay on marked paths and keep pets out of any “out-of-bounds” areas.
Leave the site unaltered—do not move or remove artifacts, plants, rocks or animals.
Be courteous and attentive when visiting a historic site. If you see suspicious behavior, report it to the proper officials.
Serpent Mound is an internationally–known National Historic Landmark built by an ancient American Indian culture. It is an effigy mound (a mound built in the shape of an animal) representing a snake with a coiled tail. Nearby are three burial mounds – two created by the Adena culture (800 BC-AD 100), and one by the Fort Ancient culture (AD 1000-1650). Serpent Mound is on the United States’ Tentative List for sites being considered for nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Ohio History Connection owns Serpent Mound and the Arc of Appalachia is responsible for the daily management of the site.
Are you interested in preserving Serpent Mound and other ancient earthworks in Ohio? Do you want to help us get these sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list? Learn more by visiting www.worldheritageohio.org.
Brad Lepper
