High court sides with history society’s access to earthworks

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS and JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled in favor of state efforts to control public access to a set of ancient ceremonial and burial earthworks built by American Indians. At issue before the court were the 2,000-year-old Octagon Earthworks in Newark in central Ohio. The Ohio History Connection, the state’s nonprofit historical society, owns the earthworks but has long leased them to a country club, where members golf alongside the mounds but access to the public is limited. The historical society sought to reclaim its lease on the property, create a park and improve public access. The court ruled in the historical society’s favor Wednesday.