The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-21
PRESERVA ton OF
GRAND MONUMENT
The Serpent Mound Decided 10 Ohio
Archaeological Society.
WORK OF PEABODY MUSEUM
Picturesque Memorial OF the Pre-
historic sionna Builders-Pro-
fessor Putnan.s Visit
and Investigations.

October 2o-By q recent vote OF the HaT-
ward Corporation. Inc Treasurer of liar-
yard College has been authorized TO deed
TO The Ohio State Archaeological and His
foiscai Society the Serpent Mound Park
when Tor the iasl fourteen years has been
IN the custody OF the Peabody 2aseutn IL
Cambridge, thus restoring TO Ohio the
ownership OF the mast remarkable ana
famous of the thousands OF monuments
OF the ancient Mound Builders which eS-
Isl within her borders.
he great Serpent Mound lies il, the
township Of Bratton, overlooking Brush
Greek, about seven miles from PEBBLES,
he nearest railway station. II had been
noted with wonder by the first settlers,
put 1t Vas not until 1876 THAI 1t vas
measured and described by squier ard
DAVIS, who published a report with draw
anSs from surveys in the first volume of
me Smithsonian Contributions 10 knowi-
cage The Two explorers had found the
site of the mound covered bg forest.
thirteen or fourteen years after their
vast q tornado swept directly along Ser
pent Hill. practically Sweeping the forest
clear This led 10 reclsirning tile land for
cultivation, but by 1S83 ii h.sd relapsed
again 10 state of nature and Was over
grown with sumsch and br:ars
PROFESSOR PUTNA1ts VISIT.
- 6iiShl Sdi ioitSScI I+IfQeIlcha w.
Putnam, Curator of the Peabody Museum
and Peabody Professor of Archaeology
and Eihnoiogy at Harvard, Wis ted the
SPOT in the course of a trip which he was
making through Southern Ohio for the
purpose of examining some OF the best
known of the ancient monuments Tor
which this part of the State is famous
throughout In world. He was ai,ie to
make arrangements with AR Lovett the
owner of the land. to have the site cleared
Of underhrush, that for TIL first time
in years the extraordinary character and
grandeur of the great Serpent was APP
parent TO visitors.
II has been reckoned that no less than
1900 mounds and eartll-w0rl1s. built
either by the Indians or b. the co-caile6f
.-prelistoric' inhabitants OF the Missfs-
sppi Valley. are included in tbs State Of
Ohio alone. But The advance Of cultiva-
ton. tire cupidity cf seekers after the
buried IT assures which are popularity sup
posed to be hidden under many Of these
works. and in some cases i3ure vandalism,
have put many, including, of course, some
of the mos. Important, in Jeopardy. An
example of this last kind of destrlc ion
is 10 be found at Marietta. where two
great embankmellts. famous among stu
dents of American archaeology, have been
partly dastroyed-one haviil.s been built
upon and in part leyeled. and TIE other
mad into bricks. The destruction Of
tie Marietta works seems all the more to
be regretted On account of the contrast
which ii offers TO the Enlightened wisdom
of the pioneers. who. acting under the di-
rectiun of the famous Rnfus Putnam. had
utilized the two embanlzments TO form an
~ nue. which they named. in the CLASSICAL
fashion Of the day. the Via Sacra.
PRESERVATION OF THE GREAT
SERPENT
On his return East, accordingly, Pro-
fessur Putnam Immediately took every
opportunity 10 urge the Importance of pre-
esrytng the great Serpent. Visiting Adams
county again in 1883 he found that its de-
Sruction was inevitable unless immediate
measures were taken for its preservation.
He was able To secure 4 contract with the
owner shat il should remain intact for a
year, and price for the absolute pur
chase of the land WAS agreed upon. Going
back To Boston he enlisted the aid of Miss
Alice c. Fletcher. well known for her no
table contributions to the knowledge Of
Indian life. Miss Fletcher, meeting in
Newport q few Boston ladies. appealed to
them for support With so much effect that
in the winter Of 1856 a private circular was
issued. with the endorsement of the late
Francis Pau'kman. the historian of the
West. calling for subscriptions. As a re-
suit sufficient sum. amounting 10 about
s6.W2. was secured 10 buy such land as
seemed TO be required for the purpose in
view, and 10 take steps for the preserva-
ton of the Serpent, with provision for
making thorough excavations III the itnne-
date neghborheod. In the end some 20
acres of land along the pike leading from
PEBBLES 10 Hilisborough We're purchased,
and the whole, under the name Of the
Serpent Mound Park. was transferred TO
the keeping of the Peabody Museum IN
trust.
r-;,fr movement mt only saved the great
Serpent itself. but was the cause of slim
ufating increased interest IN the preser-
walton OF the archaeological remains of
Ohio in general. The General Assembly,, al
the suggestion Of Professor NJ e keed,
of Hudson. passed a law in 1883 exenptinS
from taxation lands in the State ION
which are situated any prehistoric earth
works. and which may have been or may
hereafter, be purchased by any person, as
ISOLATION. or company, for the purpose OF
preservation Of said earth-woTks, and are
NOT held for profit. but are or shall be
dedicated to public uses as phehistoric
parks. y
THE SERPENT MOUND PARK
Professor Putnam Immediately began
work 10 put the mound and the new park
containing 1t in a suitable condition as
public pleasure ground. The conyoiutions
OF the Serpent Were outlined by gravel.
paths, so that they might be followed
from end TO end without injury TO the
monument itself IN tile southwest cor
ner of the park pleasant picnic ground
was arranged, with a spying OF water
protected by substantial stone sprars-
house. a Well built road leads diagonaily
across the park, and the whole vas put
under The Gaze of a competent keeper
The present transfer TO the Ohio Archaeo-
logical and Historical Society is in accord
ance, of course, with the principle that
wherever possible historical sites are more
appropriately cared for by local society
When the Peabody Museum took over
the property there WIS no such society
available. Ii came forward in an enler-
gency. in the interest of archaeological
science in this country. Its work having
been done, ii retires III favor OF the local
society which is now ready IA take mp
the task where II Is laid down. The So
ctety, Indeed, has for several years had
the actual care of the park, and the present
legal transfer IS simply in corroborati ton
of the custodianship
a PICTURESQUE SITE
Professor Putnam's explorations In the
vicinity of the Serpent Mound resulted in
an extraordinary nnwb: OF finds, going;
hack from the latest Indian inhabitants To
IA very remote past. A most interesting