Join us Sunday, September 7th, to help capture and tag monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)! As part of the Monarch Watch program, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is helping a nationwide effort to study the amazing migration monarchs undertake every fall.

Nets and free handouts will be provided about butterflies and other wildlife. Make sure to bring water, sunscreen, and running shoes. Expect to walk and/or run a lot! All participants will need to complete a volunteer form. There are no restrooms at Hopeton Earthworks.

Park staff and volunteers will demonstrate safe and proper techniques for capturing and handling these delicate winged marvels. Once a monarch is carefully captured, they will receive a tag- which is a specially made sticker placed on their wings. Volunteers and scientists along the migration route throughout the country and Mexico can then easily observe the tag and thereby assist in tracking monarchs to their winter homes and back!

Rangers will be waiting to greet you near the parking lot to help guide you to the sampling location.

For more information, visit us on Facebook or at our website: www.nps.gov/hocu

Ross County America 250 TOUR250. Watch you email for announcement with all the details
America is about to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 with national, state and local events.

The Hopewell Culture NHP and the Friends Group are supporting and participating in the Ross County America250 mile challenge. The TOUR250 challenge is simple: complete 250 miles between September 6th, 2025 and Independence Day 2026! Whether you walk, hike, bike, paddle, roll, or jog – track your miles using any fitness app or method you prefer and win some fun swag and prizes. Join us September 6th from 11-2 PM at Coppel Athletic Complex as we officially kick off the TOUR250 challenge in style!  Coppel offers hiking, water, and paved trails, making it the perfect park to complete your first mile. Local trail experts will be available to map out all the best trails and set you up for success. We will also be grilling out and will have fun giveaways to get you prepared for your journey.

Visit http://visitchillicotheohio.com/america250.../tour250/ for everything you need to get started, like maps, conversion charts, hike schedules, giveaway locations, and more!

🚌 Explore Native American Heritage – Bus Trip on August 20! 🌿

Join us for a fascinating day exploring Ohio's Native American history! We'll visit Great Council State Park and Ft. Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve, with lunch included.

📍 Departs 8:30 a.m. from Ohio University Chillicothe
🕓 Returns by 4:30 p.m.
💲 $30 (HCNHP members) | $40 (non-members)
🥪 Includes boxed lunch & bottled water

Spots are limited to the first 50 participants—secure yours now!

📧 To register, email: friendsofhcnhp@gmail.com
📬 Send payment to: Friends of HCNHP, 328 Piatt Ave, Chillicothe, OH 45601

Let’s journey into Ohio’s rich cultural history together!

Upcoming dates and locations for ranger guided tours. All tours will begin at 10 a.m.

• Sunday, June 22, Hopeton Earthworks

• Sunday, July 13, Hopewell Mound Group

• Sunday, August 3, Seip Earthworks

Dragonfly Mercury Project - Need Volunteers at Mound City
Join us Friday, July 25, 9:30 am to noon to learn about and help collect dragonfly nymphs!

Volunteers must:

• Register – please call 740-774-1126

• 13 years or older

• Be aware, the sampling site has rough terrain and swift currents and is off the normal trail

Upcoming dates and locations for ranger guided tours. All tours will begin at 10 a.m.

• Sunday, June 22, Hopeton Earthworks

• Sunday, July 13, Hopewell Mound Group

• Sunday, August 3, Seip Earthworks

Upcoming dates and locations for ranger guided tours. All tours will begin at 10 a.m.

• Sunday, June 22, Hopeton Earthworks

• Sunday, July 13, Hopewell Mound Group

• Sunday, August 3, Seip Earthworks

Join Friends of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park for an extraordinary celestial event at Hopeton Earthworks on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Experience the awe-inspiring Major Standstill and Southern Moonrise Observation—a rare phenomenon not to be missed! Space is limited to 50 spots! Please arrive by 7:45 PM. Reserve your place for this amazing event before May 31st by emailing friendsofhcnhp@gmail.com.  Download the event flyer by clicking here.

Daily tours at Mound City will take place at 10 A.M. from May 24th to August 3rd. The visitor center will be open from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Come immerse yourself in the rich past of this incredible site!

Daily tours at Mound City will take place at 10 A.M. from May 24th to August 3rd. The visitor center will be open from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Come immerse yourself in the rich past of this incredible site!

Daily tours at Mound City will take place at 10 A.M. from May 24th to August 3rd. The visitor center will be open from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Come immerse yourself in the rich past of this incredible site!

Mark your calendars for an evening of fun and knowledge! The NPS Trivia Night at Tipplers, 71 N. Paint Street, Chillicothe, Ohio is happening on May 17th at 6:30 P.M. Get ready to test your national park expertise while enjoying great company and fine wine. Whether you're a seasoned park enthusiast or just looking for a lively night out, this event promises engaging trivia, friendly competition, and perhaps even a few surprises.

WORLD HERITAGE WEEK - April 12-18

April 12 - Ft. Ancient

April 13 - Great Circle at Newark

April 14 - Hopeton Earthworks, 10am tour

April 15 - Hopewell Mound Group, 10am tour

April 16 - Seip Earthworks, 10am tour

April 17 - Mound City Group, 10am tour

April 18 - Octagon at Newark, Spring Open House

WORLD HERITAGE WEEK - April 12-18

April 12 - Ft. Ancient

April 13 - Great Circle at Newark

April 14 - Hopeton Earthworks, 10am tour

April 15 - Hopewell Mound Group, 10am tour

April 16 - Seip Earthworks, 10am tour

April 17 - Mound City Group, 10am tour

April 18 - Octagon at Newark, Spring Open House

WORLD HERITAGE WEEK - April 12-18

April 12 - Ft. Ancient

April 13 - Great Circle at Newark

April 14 - Hopeton Earthworks, 10am tour

April 15 - Hopewell Mound Group, 10am tour

April 16 - Seip Earthworks, 10am tour

April 17 - Mound City Group, 10am tour

April 18 - Octagon at Newark, Spring Open House

WORLD HERITAGE WEEK - April 12-18

April 12 - Ft. Ancient

April 13 - Great Circle at Newark

April 14 - Hopeton Earthworks, 10am tour

April 15 - Hopewell Mound Group, 10am tour

April 16 - Seip Earthworks, 10am tour

April 17 - Mound City Group, 10am tour

April 18 - Octagon at Newark, Spring Open House

Puppet Rangers: A Story of Shells and Stones

Rangers and their adorable puppet friends – Hope the Raccoon and Will the Turkey - will be performing an exciting, engaging, and educational play that will take kids from Ohio to the far edges of the Hopewell Interaction Sphere. Along the way we will stop to imagine and interact with the awesome materials Native Americans used 2,000 years ago to craft their ceremonial objects.

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Puppet Rangers: A Story of Shells and Stones

The 1989 discovery of this giant, ancient elephant-like creature opened an unprecedented window onto Ohio’s Ice Age. Archaeologists, biologists, and geologists studied the mastodon’s nearly complete remains (including its last meal) and other Ice Age animals and plants. This presentation will describe their findings and address the question of whether ancient human hunters or environmental changes drove mastodons into extinction.

Hosted by the Friends of Hopewell Culture Historical Park and Ohio University Chillicothe.

"Nothing About Us, Without Us"
Mound City Group Visitor Center Auditorium

6:00 – Exhibit open and presenter setup

6:30 – Logan York (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma) and Dr. Kevin C. Nolan (Director, Applied Anthropology Laboratories)

Learn about the planning process and Tribal collaboration for the St. Clair's Defeat Revisited exhibit.

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book When We Gather during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Reading Ranger Series: When We Gather

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book When We Gather during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Reading Ranger Series: When We Gather

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book When We Gather during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Reading Ranger Series: When We Gather

Rangers and their adorable puppet friends – Hope the Raccoon and Will the Turkey - will be performing an exciting, engaging, and educational play that will take kids from Ohio to the far edges of the Hopewell Interaction Sphere. Along the way we will stop to imagine and interact with the awesome materials Native Americans used 2,000 years ago to craft their ceremonial objects.

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Puppet Rangers: A Story of Shells and Stone

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book Fry Bread during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Reading Ranger Series: Fry Bread

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book Fry Bread during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Reading Ranger Series: Fry Bread

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book Fry Bread during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Reading Ranger Series: Fry Bread

Rangers and their adorable puppet friends – Hope the Raccoon and Will the Turkey - will be performing an exciting, engaging, and educational play that will take kids from Ohio to the far edges of the Hopewell Interaction Sphere. Along the way we will stop to imagine and interact with the awesome materials Native Americans used 2,000 years ago to craft their ceremonial objects.

• Admission to the park and each activity is free!

• All ages are welcome!

• Each event takes place at the Mound City Visitor Center at 16062 OH-104, Chillicothe, Ohio, 45601

• Junior Ranger activities are free and offered at the Visitor Center every day – come earn a badge!

Learn more: Puppet Rangers: A Story of Shells and Stones

For Kids and Kids at Heart

Looking for some community and excitement this January? Come to the Mound City Visitor Center for fun that the whole family can enjoy!

Fry Bread

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book Fry Bread during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!

For Kids and Kids at Heart

Looking for some community and excitement this January? Come to the Mound City Visitor Center for fun that the whole family can enjoy!

Fry Bread

Rangers will be leading guided readings and activities for the book Fry Bread during the brand-new Reading Ranger series! Come learn about a modern-day Native American treat enjoyed by many people across North America. We will discover its roots, how to make it yourself at home (there are so many ways!) and how this food that is savored today compares to what Native Americans in Ohio 2,000 years ago were eating!