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Construct Visitor Use Pavilion at Mound City Group, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ross County, Ohio
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park » Construct Visitor Use Pavilion at Mound City Group, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ross County, Ohio » Document List
The National Park Service proposes an undertaking to construct a Visitor Use Pavilion adjacent to the existing visitor center at the Mound City Group unit of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ross County, Ohio. The land is in federal ownership. No tribal lands are involved.
The National Park Service proposes an undertaking to construct a 20-x-36 foot ADA-compliant open air Visitor Use Pavilion adjacent to the north side of the existing Visitor Center at the Mound City Group unit of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. The Visitor Use Pavilion is intended to rectify the current lack of covered, outdoor space for visitor services and community education and outreach. The Visitor Use Pavilion will: serve as an outdoor classroom for 3000 to 5000 students participating in school field trips each year; offer safe shelter during inclement weather; and will provide an outdoor gathering place for enhanced community programs including lectures and performances. The primary use will be to accommodate groups of school children. A covered space is needed to provide interpretive and educational programs to groups of 100+ children during inclement weather. Visiting school groups will also be able to eat lunch in the space during inclement weather.
The Visitor Use Pavilion will be located immediately adjacent to the north side of the existing Mound City Group Visitor Center. This site was chosen because: this location was likely disturbed during the original Visitor Center construction in 1959, so archeological resources should not be adversely affected; it is convenient to other existing visitor services including water, electricity, restrooms, and trash disposal; and this location will not introduce any new visual intrusions into currently undeveloped areas. This location is consistent with Treatment Plan presented in the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Cultural Landscape Report (CLR, 2016) in that it maintains "separation between the visitor orientation area and the ceremonial landscape" (pg. 6-23). The long-term desired future condition articulated in the CLR envisions the removal of all non-contributing features from the immediate setting of the earthworks, including the Visitor Center, and administrative and maintenance buildings (pg. 6-2). This Visitor Use Pavilion will be removed when this long-term treatment plan is executed.
The location is likely previously disturbed. However, it is in an archeologically sensitive area overlooking the nearby American Indian mound and earthwork complex, and has not been intensively surveyed to identify archeological historic properties. In order to allow for timely approval of the undertaking, and to provide an efficient process to comply with Section 106 NHPA, the NPS proposes to develop a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in consultation with the SHPO, appropriate American Indian tribes, and the ACHP, in accordance with 36CFR800.6. The MOA will provide for the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of adverse effects to any historic properties identified in the area of potential effects. An Inadvertent Discovery Plan will be developed to address the potential inadvertent discovery of human remains or cultural items in accordance with 43CFR10 Subpart B. The MOA will also provide for an evaluation of how the Visitor Use Pavilion might impact visitors' experience of the archeological resources for which the park was established to protect and interpret. Information from this evaluation will be taken into account prior to selection of a final design for construction to minimize any adverse effects on the visitor experience.
Archeologist/Chief, Resource Management
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
Phone: 740-774-1126
The National Park Service proposes an undertaking to construct a 20-x-36 foot ADA-compliant open air Visitor Use Pavilion adjacent to the north side of the existing Visitor Center at the Mound City Group unit of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. The Visitor Use Pavilion is intended to rectify the current lack of covered, outdoor space for visitor services and community education and outreach. The Visitor Use Pavilion will: serve as an outdoor classroom for 3000 to 5000 students participating in school field trips each year; offer safe shelter during inclement weather; and will provide an outdoor gathering place for enhanced community programs including lectures and performances. The primary use will be to accommodate groups of school children. A covered space is needed to provide interpretive and educational programs to groups of 100+ children during inclement weather. Visiting school groups will also be able to eat lunch in the space during inclement weather.
The Visitor Use Pavilion will be located immediately adjacent to the north side of the existing Mound City Group Visitor Center. This site was chosen because: this location was likely disturbed during the original Visitor Center construction in 1959, so archeological resources should not be adversely affected; it is convenient to other existing visitor services including water, electricity, restrooms, and trash disposal; and this location will not introduce any new visual intrusions into currently undeveloped areas. This location is consistent with Treatment Plan presented in the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Cultural Landscape Report (CLR, 2016) in that it maintains "separation between the visitor orientation area and the ceremonial landscape" (pg. 6-23). The long-term desired future condition articulated in the CLR envisions the removal of all non-contributing features from the immediate setting of the earthworks, including the Visitor Center, and administrative and maintenance buildings (pg. 6-2). This Visitor Use Pavilion will be removed when this long-term treatment plan is executed.
The location is likely previously disturbed. However, it is in an archeologically sensitive area overlooking the nearby American Indian mound and earthwork complex, and has not been intensively surveyed to identify archeological historic properties. In order to allow for timely approval of the undertaking, and to provide an efficient process to comply with Section 106 NHPA, the NPS proposes to develop a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in consultation with the SHPO, appropriate American Indian tribes, and the ACHP, in accordance with 36CFR800.6. The MOA will provide for the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of adverse effects to any historic properties identified in the area of potential effects. An Inadvertent Discovery Plan will be developed to address the potential inadvertent discovery of human remains or cultural items in accordance with 43CFR10 Subpart B. The MOA will also provide for an evaluation of how the Visitor Use Pavilion might impact visitors' experience of the archeological resources for which the park was established to protect and interpret. Information from this evaluation will be taken into account prior to selection of a final design for construction to minimize any adverse effects on the visitor experience.
Contact Information
Bret J. Ruby, PhDArcheologist/Chief, Resource Management
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
Phone: 740-774-1126