A number of representatives from the Wetzel County Convention & Visitors Bureau and WesBanco, along with members of the public, attended the dedication Thursday of a new historical marker honoring Adena burial mounds. (Photos by Amy?Witschey)

A new historical marker celebrating local history was unveiled in New Martinsville Thursday.

The marker, located on WesBanco’s riverside property in downtown New Martinsville, pays tribute to Adena burial mounds that once protruded from the local landscape. The marker was put in this location based on research by Denise Nielsen Tackett of the Wetzel County Convention & Visitors Bureau that says a mound was once located under what is now the Ohio River. “Based on the information I gathered, the location of the mound is in what is now the Ohio River between North and McEldowney Streets in New Martinsville,” said Tackett. “This is as close as I can get to the mound’s original location.”

Eric Vincent of WesBanco provided a welcome to the event held at West Virginia Northern Community College’s New Martinsville campus before moving to the sign’s site. “History connects the past with the present,” said Vincent. “It is a reminder of our common ground.”

Tackett presented some of her research on Adena Burial Mounds and specifically the mound in the New Martinsville area. The mound here would have been level with the banks of the river, or 10-15 feet high–like the mounds in Cresap and Natrium. Those mounds are not marked in any way because, said Tackett, “There is a very real threat of treasure hunters.” Since this mound is underwater, that threat does not exist for the New Martinsville mound.

The new sign says the following, on both sides: Adena Burial Mound — Adena burial mound, of Woodland Period, 1000 BC-AD700, flooded ca. 1890 by new Ohio River dams. Ohio Valley was a center of the Adena Culture (Mound Builders). Thousands of burial mounds along river seemed like natural terrain to early settlers. Expansion in farming and industry destroyed most mounds. Artifacts recovered from mounds placed in museums.

Denise Nielsen Tackett points up stream toward where an Adena burial mound is covered by the Ohio River.

Todd Anderson, regional coordinator for Sen. Joe Manchin, attended the unveiling hosted by the WCCVB and WesBanco. He read a letter from Manchin applauding the historical marker, saying, “Preserving the past gives power to the present.”

“The great mound building cultures of the U.S. are hardly known outside of academic and archeology circles. As the center of Adena Culture, this area should identify sites of interest and make efforts to introduce them to and inform the public about them,” offered Tackett.

“The civilization was interesting and the thought of seeing thousands of mounds dotting the landscape conjures up exotic images in the mind. If one considers the facts, the folklore, and the aura of mystery that surrounded the mounds over the years, one can easily imagine the makings of a tourist attraction.

“Other mounds exist in the area, possibly even petroglyphs. This marker seems like a good start.”