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Public meeting announced for Fort Ancient partnership

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Staff Report 11:06 AM Saturday, June 27, 2009

Fort Ancient and its historical programing is on the verge of avoiding extinction thanks to a proposed partnership with the Dayton Society of Natural History.

The Ohio Historical Society will conduct a public meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 at the Fort Ancient Museum to solicit input concerning the future management of Fort Ancient State Memorial near Oregonia, Ohio.

Representatives from the Ohio Historical Society and the Dayton Society of Natural History, operators of the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and SunWatch Indian Vilage, will discuss the future management of the site and answer questions.

Earlier this year, Jack Blosser, site manager of the historical Warren County park, said operations at the facility and its museum would cease July 1 if a funding source was not found.

Fort Ancient is one of 58 sites operated by the Ohio Historical Society, a private, nonprofit organization that serves as the state’s partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology and natural history.

George Kane, Ohio Historical Society director of historical sites and facilities, said state funding has been cut by more than 20 percent, forcing a reduction in programming. Kane said 30 OHS sites across the state have partnerships with a combination of people and local groups who help keep the locations open.

Fort Ancient is a 2,000-year-old prehistoric site of earth walls that range from 4 to 23 feet in height and are confined into a space of around 100 acres. The prehistoric people during the Hopewell Culture (100 B.C.- A.D. 500) built and used Fort Ancient as a place of ceremonial and social gatherings. The stone covered mounds are astronomical marking mounds. By observing the movements of the sun and moon people could gather at certain days of the year to celebrate specific events and ceremonies. The site is being considered for nomination to the prestigious World Heritage list, which is maintained by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

It is located in Warren County, approximately 20 minutes north of Kings Island, off Interstate 71.

For more information about the meeting, contact George Kane, the Society’s director of historic sites and facilities, at (614) 297-2441 or at gkane@ohiohistory.org.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4542 or mrossiter@coxohio.com.

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