National Register of Historic Places

Mound Hill Archeological Site

Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky
Listed
August 24, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Pre Contact
Ref No.
78001308

About this property

Mound Hill (also known as the "Nelson Gay Mound") is an archaeological site in the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located north of Winchester in far northern Clark County, the site is part of a group of Indian mounds lining Stoner Creek, although by far the largest of the group. The mound has frequently attracted attention from mapmakers and other surveyors, due to its large size; it was measured at 240 feet (73 m) (circumference) and 20 feet (6.1 m) (height) by an 1884 survey, which pronounced it a "romantic sight" due to its hilltop location between Stoner Creek and Pretty Run. The surveyors suggested that its linear shape with a central depression might have been the result of erosion or of the construction of multiple mounds that were later merged into one. It lies approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) west of the rest of the group, which occupies the summit of a narrow ridgeline known as the "Devil's Backbone." Digging at these mounds, which were seemingly related to Mound Hill, produced artifacts such as pottery and a pipe, as well as numerous stone box graves. In 1978, Mound Hill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of several Clark County archaeological sites on the Register, it was deemed to encompass an area of 18 acres (7.3 ha) for preservation purposes. It is believed to have been built by peoples of the Adena culture.

Location

Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky

Categories

PREHISTORIC
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Questions about this property

When was Mound Hill Archeological Site listed on the National Register?

Mound Hill Archeological Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Mound Hill Archeological Site?

Mound Hill Archeological Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mound Hill Archeological Site?

The period of significance for Mound Hill Archeological Site is recorded as the pre_contact era.

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