Students excavating Ferris-Wright Park site outside farmhouse.
Located at the northeast corner of Emerald Parkway and Riverside Drive, the new Ferris-Wright Park and Hopewell Earthworks opening this fall will preserve and showcase the ancient earthworks, farmhouse and natural features of the space that are a significant part of Dublin’s history.
The land surrounding the park has been home to many over the years, from indigenous peoples thousands of years ago to some of Dublin’s first settlers and 20th century residents.
The Hopewell Culture
The indigenous peoples of the Hopewell era represent tribes known for building earthworks – precise geometric shapes that hold meaning and purpose – in the Ohio Valley. “Hopewell” was the name of the family on whose land these earthworks were first noticed in Ross County, Ohio, in the 1800s.
The Hopewell People lived, hunted, fished and farmed in what is now Ohio and other parts of eastern North America around 100 B.C. to A.D. 400. They were an advanced society with an extensive trade network that ran from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and out west to the Rocky Mountains.
They had a sophisticated understanding of geometry and astronomy, and these principles were demonstrated in their ceremonial spaces known as earthworks.
“The earthworks provided places for gatherings of people, just as American Indian people continue to do today,” said Marti L. Chaatsmith, interim director of the Newark Earthworks Center.
“People came to these places for ceremony, for marriages, to honor their relatives and neighbors who died, to make alliances, for celebration, feasting, and sacred games. They were places of joy, prayer, solemnity and grief,” she said.
Today, few of these ceremony spaces remain intact. Many have been damaged or cleared away for farming and development.
The earthworks at Ferris-Wright Park are the northernmost earthworks in the Scioto valley. Many groups of tribes are represented at this site, with the oldest dating back to Clovis times, or about 12,000 years ago.
The park contains three earthworks (two circles and a square) and five burial mounds. The tallest mound once stood five feet tall and the others were approximately three feet tall.
Uncovering the Past
The earthworks were explored by local farmers and
villagers for many years before being professionally excavated in 1890, 1922 and 1961. The artifacts retrieved during these digs helped archeologists better understand the people of the Hopewell culture.
Dr. Jules Angel, a lecturer for The Ohio State University Department of Anthropology, led archeological digs at the site in 2013, 2014 and 2016, discovering fascinating artifacts.
“Students recorded any historic or prehistoric artifacts and areas before anything got changed during construction,” said Angel.
Angel said students found multiple prehistoric stone tools and debris from making such tools, as well as historic pottery, creating a clearer picture of the land use history of this area.
They also uncovered modern debris from a few years ago, to their oldest find, a Clovis point – a type of prehistoric tool made by native peoples of North America – dating to around 13,000 years ago.
“Clearly, people have found that this is a good place to be,” said Angel.
Dr. Jarrod Burks, director of geophysics for Ohio Valley Archaeology, led archeological surveys in and around the site.
“The Ferris-Wright earthwork site is one of the largest in Franklin County, so it’s wonderful to see large portions of the site being preserved by the City of Dublin,” said Burks.
“Our geophysical surveys of the site provide the clearest view of the earthworks since they were first built nearly 2,000 years ago. We applaud the former owners of the site, Joan and Kaye, for supporting our research and facilitating the preservation of this important site,” said Burks.
Ferris Farm
Early settlers explored the Ohio region in the 1800s.
“The rich soil and abundance of natural resources, water and game made the land a desirable area for settlement,” said Tom Holton, president of the Dublin Historical Society.
The first farmers in the Dublin area tilled and plowed the land by horse-drawn iron equipment. Wheat and hay and perhaps alfalfa were among the first crops to be planted, but corn, potatoes, beans and other vegetables provided annual sustenance for a farm family.
Wright Run Creek, which runs through Ferris-Wright Park, irrigated early farms. Rivers, like the nearby Scioto River, were used for milling and other industries that brought prosperity to Dublin.
Photo courtesy of the City of Dublin
Members of the Ferris-Wright family seated outside the farmhouse circa 1930
Joseph Ferris came to Ohio in 1818, eight years after Dublin was platted as a village. Ferris cleared the land for farming and built his farmhouse in 1820. It is said that his house was the first frame house in the area. The others were all log houses or log cabins.
Josephine Wright Holder, a descendant of Ferris, lived all but a few of her 96 years on the land.
“She wanted the tract of land that she inherited from her father and mother to remain intact and be used to help generations to come understand the many families who had lived here, including those who built the earthworks and even those who came before them,” said Joan Harless on behalf of the family.
“She loved telling young people about these many families, and would be pleased to know her love of educating others will continue as the Ferris-Wright Park develops,” Harless said.
The restored home still stands today and will welcome visitors to the park in fall 2018, 200 years after Ferris came to the area.
“The Dublin Historical Society is excited for the community to see this park develop as an education center where visitors will learn about history across generations and cultures,” said Holton.
Preserving our Past
Ferris-Wright Park will feature an interpretive center for visitors located in the farmhouse, honoring the past through interactive stations that tell the stories of inhabitants through the years. Visitors will also have a chance to contribute their own stories, creating an ongoing timeline of life in Dublin.
The park also features a pedestrian bridge over the creek, walking paths, restroom facility and a parking lot.
Members of the community are invited to an opening ceremony Sunday, Sept. 23 from 1-4 p.m.
Learn more at dublinohiousa.gov/parks.
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Ferris-Wright Park master plan rendering
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Sarah McQuaide is a public information officer with the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.