In the summer of 2006, Governor Bob Taft of Ohio named the Newark Ohio Earthworks the official prehistoric monument. This was all thanks to a group of fourth graders from my old elementary school. William E. Miller Elementary actually no longer exists and the site has been turned into a branch of nearby university. However, back in 2005, this group of kids worked with the State Senator Jay Hottinger to ask for the designation for the site.
The Newark Earthworks consist of geometric enclosures and mounds. They were built by the Hopewell people, probably around 2,000 or so years ago. Many of the Hopewell earthworks around Ohio have been destroyed, but the Newark Earthworks are a great example of one that has been fairly well preserved. The Hopewell people were Native Americans that lived during what is called the Middle Woodland time period. This is technically prehistoric and thus the site's designation is that of a prehistoric monument.
Along with the elementary students who helped make this possible, a number of teachers aided as well. One of them was my third and fourth grade teacher. She helped State Senator Jay Hottinger actually create the bill. I remember her class and how much she encouraged us to write. I am sure that it was this same mentality that she shared with that group of fourth graders who pushed for this site to become the prehistoric monument. Those kids actually just graduated from high school this past year and were recognized for their achievement at the Newark Earthworks.
Works Cited
http://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ohio%27s_State_Prehistoric_Monument
http://apps.ohiohistory.org/ohioarchaeology/state-prehistoric-monument/
Photo Credit: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/04/14/high-school-seniors-celebrated-for-legislative-victory-as-kids.html
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