In Newark, Ohio, a swath of land spanning 2,880 acres contains the Octagon Earthworks, “interconnected geometric earth structures” built by Native Americans more than 1,600 years ago. The site charts the 18.6-year-long cycle of the moon, and was recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For many years, two entities—a golf course and historical organization—have been in talks over the ownership and use of land. Now, the sacred site, part of the larger Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, will soon be public property.
Since 1933, Ohio History Connection has leased the land containing the Octagon Earthworks to Moundbuilders Country Club. The private golf course’s lease was set to run through 2078 but last week, Ohio History Connection acquired the long-term lease and plans to “enable full public access” to the site, which has been open to the public on limited days.
Ohio History Connection will formally obtain the leasehold on the property starting on January 1, 2025. “Our guiding principles throughout this process have been to enable full public access to the Octagon Earthworks while ensuring Moundbuilders Country Club receives just compensation for the value of its lease on the property,” said Megan Wood, executive director and CEO of the Ohio History Connection in a statement. “And now we have accomplished those things.”
While discussions over land ownership between the Moundbuilders Country Club and Ohio History Connection started decades ago, negotiations over full public access to the site were initiated in January 2013. Overtime, the case moved through the judicial ranks. In May 2019 Licking County Court of Common Pleas ruled Ohio History Connection had the authority to acquire the lease, a decision that was upheld in the Fifth District Court of Appeals and later by Ohio Supreme Court in 2022.
A final hurdle to granting Ohio History Connection full public access was a jury trial in the Licking County Court of Common Pleas to determine a “fair market value.”
According to Ohio Supreme Court documents, Ohio History Connection intended to acquire Octagon Earthworks for a number of reasons beyond just public use. It also hopes to restore the geological structures, ridding it of interventions made for the golf course; and also as a means to nominate the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, achieved in 2023.
Wood shared in a press release on the settlement that Ohio History Connection will announce more details when it officially acquires the lease in January.
