These special monuments of American Indian heritage became WPAFB property, which has protected them in ways that otherwise would not have occurred.
“That’s especially important because these types of mounds functioned centuries ago as sacred sites, and the base’s tribal stakeholders today continue to view them as such,” Roemer said “Also, American Indians have the highest percent participation of any ethnic group in our military branches. So I think it is a special bonus for the base and the Air Force that these features can be part of our installation landscape where Airmen who are American Indians, for whatever duration they may be assigned here and regardless of specific tribal affiliation, can be aware of these special features constructed and used by our nation’s original communities.
“A number of federally recognized tribes today, though removed geographically, attach cultural importance to the Adena mounds at Wright-Patterson,” said Roemer. “And the base consults regularly with such stakeholders regarding base stewardship and interpretation of the mounds.”
The installation tribal liaison officer is Raymond Baker, and National Historic Preservation Act coordination with tribes is facilitated by WPAFB’s Cultural Resources Manager Paul Woodruff.
The base is working with five Native American tribes on best practices for preservation and interpretation of the mounds on base, according to Woodruff.
“We are always looking for means to preserve them,” he said. “We appreciate the importance of the early Native Americans and the heritage they represent.”
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The Native American tribal representatives engaged are Historical Preservation, Sac and Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa; Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Baraga, Michigan; the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan; Tribal Archaeologist, Seneca Nation of Indians, Salamanca, New York; and THPO, Seneca Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, Grove, Oklahoma.
Located in an area of the Wright Memorial, northwest of the memorial plaza are six Adena burial mounds listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 2016. According to the National Register nomination for the mounds completed in 1971, the six mounds range from 1.7 feet high with a 20-foot diameter to 4.2 feet high with a 50-foot diameter. The mounds are thought to have been built by the Adena people sometime between 500 B.C. and 300 A.D.
For more information, contact Roemer at 937-656-1281 or via email at Erwin.roemer@us.af.mil. Woodruff at 937-257-1374 or email at paul.woodruff@us.af.mil.
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