Up The Indian Mound with Stanley

If you want to stretch your legs, run around, have a picnic and feel like a giant, come along with Flat Stanley. This activity is fun for the whole family, the kids and pets too. On the west side of McKinley Avenue in Columbus just south of Trabue Road is a large grassy mound. If you drive by fast; that may be all you'll see. Slow down and park the car; it's quite a different story. You'll see a small parking area that can accommodate a couple of cars and this stone gate. To the left of the gateway and grassy mound you'll see this 2 sided historic marker.

This mound goes by a couple of names. The area, the park it self is called Campbell Memorial Park named after a man who was governor of the state for 2 short years. Probably more remarkable was his Presidency of The Ohio Historical and Archaeological Society. His daughter Jessie Campbell Coons name this area after him in 1929.

The mound is the last of The Conical Indian Burial Mounds in the city of Columbus. It's 20 feet high and 100 feet in diameter. It was placed on The National Register of Historic Places in 1970, not that long ago.

The Adena Indians date from 800 BC to 100 A.D. and are some of the earliest known settlers in the state; primarily the middle Ohio Valley. They were hunters, gatherers, traders, and farmers. Mounds that have been excavated, or partially excavated show evidence of wooded structures (houses), trash pits, fire pits, bones of important tribal leaders that were cremated, pottery, and other tokens.
The land was deeded by Mrs. Shrum to The Ohio Historic Society (formerly known as Historic and Archeological Society).
An additional marker honoring her is placed on a large boulder just beyond the historic marker.
Stanley is laying there in the grass just to the left of the trail. Take time and climb to the top of mound. Once on the top like this little boy (click to enlarge picture and see how small he looks way up there on top); you can see downtown Columbus in one direction and The Scioto River in another. You get a real feel for the size of the mound and pretty fenced park area.

The mounds were made in layers. Historical evidence indicates an important tribal leader that died would be placed in a wooded house/structure and burned down as part of their burial ceremonies. Tokens would be placed with the cremated remains, then earth piled on top. When another important tribal leader died the process was repeated...over and over; thus making these mounds quite large. Over the years many of the mounds have deteriorated, some have gone by the wayside due to plowing the land, or building for exploding populations throughout the state.
There's The Scioto River just beyond the stone wall of the park. Children enjoy running around The Mound, and following the trail up one side and down the other. Pack a picnic or snack and sit under the shade of one of the many trees so you can talk about your adventure, and perhaps catch your breathe after the climb. This Conical Mound is larger than one I recently visited in Chillicothe; Story Mound, and more accessible.

When you return home get some string....measure (let the kids help you) 100 feet. Make a circle with the string in the backyard. Let the kids burn up some more energy running around it; but also get them thinking about what all could be put in that space. As always grab maps, due math comparing the measurements, the dates etc. Paper and crayons will come in handy as the children draw what they think an Ancient Indian looked like. Make word puzzles with the words from the days adventure:
Mound
Ancient
Adena
Indians
Burial
Conical
Governor
Historical
Archaeological
Society

Do the kids know what those words mean? How bout digging out the play-dough and let them make their own Indian Mound. Ask the kids how tall they felt when they stood at the top....did they feel like a giant?

Learning can always be fun. Join me, Flat Stanley for our next adventure on Friday May 28th when Art will be the focus. Until then Flat Stanley out.

Did you miss Stanley's previous Friday Adventures?

• April 23, 2010 Books and Parks (Upper Arlington, Ohio)
• April 30, 2010 Traitor or Hero (Worthington, Ohio)
• May 7, 2010 Flat Stanley and his friend Captain Pinney (Worthington, Ohio)
• May 14, 2010 First Flight and Flat Stanley (Worthington, Ohio)
• May 21, 2010 Up The Indian Mound with Flat Stanley (Columbus, Ohio)