Nowadays, Fort Hill State Memorial is in the focus of many people. Its relevance has grown significantly in different aspects, generating debates, research and multiple opinions on the matter. This topic is of great interest to society in general, since it impacts in some way on people's daily lives. In this article, we will explore different perspectives on Fort Hill State Memorial, its evolution over time and its influence in various areas. Likewise, we will analyze how Fort Hill State Memorial has been gaining importance today and what are the implications of its relevance in different areas.
Fort Hill State Park | |
![]() Entrance sign on SR41 | |
Nearest city | Sinking Spring, Ohio |
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Coordinates | 39°06′47″N 83°24′23″W / 39.1131°N 83.4063°W |
Area | 400 acres (160 ha) |
NRHP reference No. | 70000500 |
Added to NRHP | November 10, 1970 |
Fort Hill State Memorial is a Native American earthwork located in Highland County, Ohio, United States. Built by the Hopewell culture, it is maintained by the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System and the Ohio History Connection.
The earthwork, built about 2,000 years ago, is a walled enclosure made of soil on top of a flat summit. It is 500 feet (150 m) higher than nearby portions of Ohio Brush Creek and 800 feet (240 m) higher than the Ohio River. It was made by the Hopewell people. It is over 11⁄2 miles in circumference, enclosing 35.3 acres (14.3 ha). Thirty-nine "man-made openings" occur throughout the enclosure: thirty-six that are verified as being made by Indians and three others still unknown as to how they were made. The wall is 6 to 15 feet (1.8 to 4.6 m) high and its total length is 8,619 feet (2,627 m). It is 30 feet (9.1 m) wide at its base in most areas. Archaeologists believe it was not used as a fort, but instead as a religious site.
In 1846, it was excavated by Ephraim George Squier and Edwin Hamilton Davis. It was featured in their book Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, which was published in 1848.
Fort Hill State Memorial contains excellent outcrops of Silurian, Devonian, and Mississippian sedimentary bedrock and a natural bridge. The site is also an example of glacial stream reversal. It was named a National Natural Landmark in 1974.