The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-06-21
The Serpent Mound.

lain Tor centuries folded and coiled on
the high bluff overlooking Brush Creek,
about one mile below Loudon and some
sixteen miles southeast of Hillsboro.
Scientific men from all over the United
States, and many from Europe, have
visited, examined and speculated on it
trying to read its secret, but that secret
is buried in it.
The general conviction is that 1t was
erected as an emblem OF worship, the
serpent having been held in religion and
myth through all ages, and by 'nany
people as symbol Of eternity, a ty'pe of
that great mystery that lies coiled about
life.
On the morning OF an ideal June day
we four started to visit this ancient won
der. And il our readers wish to get
away for one day from desk, or bench,
or counter, or broom, let them take that
day with good company for trip to the
mound.
Do the people of Hillsboro know what
treats there are in store for them il they
will but drive out in any direction from
their town over the smooth pixies and
give themselves up to utter enjoyment
of the scenery? Do they realize how
nature has laid herself out to please the
eye with lovely landscapes of gray, and
brown, and purple, and a hundred varied
shades of greenP II not, let them go
aid see for once what sights and
surprises of beauty the kind old mother
has prepared for them this spring in
shaded hooks and waving grain,
in climbing vine and pendent bough, in
the sweet perfume OF the wild grape, in
streamers of light through dark forest
leaves, in floating cloud and feeting
shadow, in the splendor of sunset and
the brilliance OF the evening star over
the shadowy hills in twilight.
There is no finer drive in Southern
Ohio than the one we take. The morn
ing air is just cool enough to be bracing
and just warm enough to take off the
chill, and our horses 60 at swing
ing trot through Berryville and Belfast
and Loudon, and in three hours from
home we turn up to the gate of the en-
closure, drive through the grounds and
are at Frank Stultz' old.fashioned COM
Portable farm house, where we are cor
daily welcomed and made at once to
feel at home by the genial landlord.
The tract containing this structure
was purchased by the Peabody Institute,
Of Massachusetts,, last summer, and con-
sists of little over ffty.eight acres of
land. The object OF its purchase was
that the mound he kept forever as an
archaeological relic. A good macadam.
lied road has been constructed from the
turnpike through the grounds, a paling
fence erected enclosing the purchase,
shade trees planted out, hitching posts
put up by the dozens, sign posts and
sign boards occur SO frequently that the
wayfaring man, though a fool, could
scarcely fail to get around, and
the whole enclosure put down in
grass. Within few years it will be a
beautiful park, and lasting credit to
the Eastern scientific men who have
taken charge of it.
Mr.. F. NJ. Stultz, who owns the adjoin-
ing farm, has the superintendency of the
grounds. He has also opened his house
to guests, and no one stopping with
him will ever complain of want OF care
or fare. He is erecting large addition
to his building and expects to have a
commodious summer resort ready by
August. The spring on the grounds has
been excavated and covered with 6
handsome arch of dressed stone with cut
stone steps, and the water is said to con
tain much the same medicinal virtue a.
that OF the famous Adams County Min
eral Springs not far distant and in the
same geological formation. N. B. NJ
admission fee is exacted.
After good rest and good dinneI
we set out to scale the serpent. We frs
interviewed the tail. This lies in a col
three or four deep and about thirty
feet in diameter on knoll on the edg,
|, VI VIC CTech DluH. lHe eullrc seTpen
has been restored to its supposed origi
nal dimensions, and is from two and 6
half to four or four and half feet high
and from five or six to ten or twelve fee
wide, narrower and lower of cours
towards the neck and tail, and highe
and wider in the body, as is the custom
OF serpents.
The rains OF centuries and, still worse
the plow OF years had almost erased tn
structure in many places, but some oil
inha oitants remembered how it locke,
when they were young when great tree
grew upon it, and with such data an
proportioning its other dimensions to it
length the efligy has been reproduce
> faithfully and satisfactorily.
I The windings OF the mound ar
t stretched upon and tapping over ridg
!. running northwestorly for distance c
? al least an eighth OF mile to the bro,
:, OF precipice. Here the head lies wit
J, the jaws widely distended and in iron
t of them an oval ring with pile OF stone
Q in the center.
The ring is thirty or more feet Ion
by perhaps twenty wide Il have poo
eye for distances) and the pile OF stone
IA l = Z T. ~