Raising the Roof at the Indian Mounds

The Greene County Parks & Trails have been working to restore a cabin on Route 42 near the Indian Mounds Reserve in Cedarville since fundraising for the project began four years ago. The restored cabin, which is estimated to be about 200 years old, will be used for educational purposes.

Gretchen Rives, the public relations manager of Green County Parks & Trials, said the type of educational programs that will be held at the cabin will be similar to programs done previously.

“There have always been programs out there even without the cabin, like nature camps and (an) Underground Railroad program that is out there,” she said. “We just kind of added to the programs occurring at that park (site).”

According to a Greene County News report, the cabin was most likely built in 1814 by Samuel R. Heathcock in Clark County, then moved to Cedarville Township in 1870. Director of Greene County Parks & Trails Crisbell Bednar said the cabin will be used to teach fourth through sixth graders about Native American culture and the early settlers.

Greene County Parks & Trails plans to welcome homeschooling programs, private schools, public schools, scout groups, and others to the restored cabin. However, for the schools to see the cabin, they must schedule a tour of the cabin with one of the naturalist staff.  Bednar said the tours of the cabin will discuss history and the environment of the cabin.

“One of the naturalist staff will talk with the tour group and explain the importance of the cabin and how it affected nature and the people who lived in the cabin,” Bednar said. “The kids will see a display of how the cabin would have looked in the 1800s so that the children can have a visual of how the early settlers lived as a family and a community.”

Bednar said the cabin will also fulfill the park’s main mission of educating the public about nature.

The Greene County Parks & Trails team has been working to fund-raise for and restore the cabin for the last four years. Chief Naturalist Cris Barnett said the project will cost $120,000 total, and the team is about 80 percent of the way to meeting that goal.

Bednar said the team hopes to finish the cabin restoration this fall and have a ribbon cutting ceremony in the spring to open the cabin to the public. She said the team and community are excited to see the finished product of the cabin.

Ashley Santana is a senior professional writing and information design major and off-campus news writer for Cedars. Ashley likes to fuel her coffee addiction, read books, watch Netflix, play with her 5-month old kitty, and nap.