Near Peebles in Adams County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Serpent Mound

Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 11, 2019

1. Serpent Mound Marker

Inscription. One of North America’s most spectacular effigy mounds, Serpent Mound is a gigantic earthen sculpture representative of a snake. Built on a spur of rock overlooking Ohio Brush Creek around 1000 A.D. by the Fort Ancient culture, the earthwork was likely a place of ceremonies dedicated to a powerful serpent spirit. The site is located on the edge of a massive crater, possibly formed by the impact of a small asteroid around 300 million years ago. Frederic Ward Putman studied Serpent Mound between 1886 and 1889 Due largely to his efforts, Serpent Mound became the first privately funded archaeological preserve in the United States.

Erected 2003 by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 15-1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Landmarks • Notable Places. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1000 CE.

Location. 39° 0.877′ N, 83° 25.742′ W. Marker is near Peebles, Ohio, in Adams County. Marker can be reached from Ohio Route 73 west of Horner Chapel Road (Local Route 116), on the right when traveling west. It is at the Serpent Mount Historical Site.

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Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4366 Rte 73, Peebles OH 45660, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Burial Mound (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named Burial Mound (approx. 0.6 miles away); Welcome To Serpent Mound (approx. 0.6 miles away); What Is An Effigy Mound? (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Serpent In American Indian Traditions (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Shawnee And The King Of The Serpents (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Village Site (approx. 0.7 miles away); Exploring Serpent Mound (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Peebles.

Regarding Serpent Mound. The park is open from 9 a.m. to dusk year round. It opens at dawn on solstices and equinoxes. the parking fee at this writing is $8 ($4 for motorcycles). There is a museum and gift shop at the visitors center.

Also see . . . Wikipedia entry. “The dating of the design, the original construction, and the identity of the builders of the serpent effigy are three questions still debated in the disciplines of social science, including ethnology, archaeology, and anthropology. In addition, contemporary American Indians have an interest in the site. Several attributions

Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 11, 2019

2. Serpent Mound Marker

have been entered by academic, philosophic, and Native American concerns regarding all three of these unknown factors of when designed, when built, and by whom.” (Submitted on June 14, 2019.)

Additional commentary.
1. National Historic Landmark Status
On July 19, 1964, Serpent Mound was added to the list of National Historic Landmarks. #66000602

— Submitted September 29, 2020, by Robert Baughman of Bellefontaine, Ohio.

The Great Serpent Mound image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 11, 2019

3. The Great Serpent Mound

Close up of drawing reproduced on the marker.

Eric Ewing, via Wikipedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0), July 28, 2013

4. The Great Serpent Mound

The Great Serpent Mound is a 1,348-foot-long, three-foot-high prehistoric effigy mound located on a plateau of the Serpent Mound crater along Ohio Brush Creek in Adams County, Ohio. This image was taken in July, 2013, and shows the entirety of The Great Serpent Mound located near Peebles, Ohio, United States. From left, the image shows the serpent’s triple-coiled tail, follows its writhing body northward and ends at the effigy’s open-mouthed head (in the distance at the right side of the photograph).

Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 805 times since then and 76 times this year. Last updated on January 22, 2023, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 14, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.