Here's how Ohio is celebrating the Hopewell Earthworks one-year World Heritage anniversary

The Ohio History Connection will host several events later this month celebrating the one-year anniversary of Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks becoming Ohio’s first World Heritage site .

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage Committee approved the ancient sites’ nomination to the World Heritage list Sept. 19.

This year’s events are scheduled for the same day in Oregonia and Heath, two communities where some of the ancient sites sit. Admission to them is free.

“The first anniversary of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks officially becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site is such an important milestone,” Ohio History Connection Executive Director and CEO Megan Wood said in a news release. “These masterpieces of ancient landscape architecture built by American Indians truly demonstrate the concept of outstanding universal value the World Heritage program recognizes across the globe.”

The first event is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at Great Circle Earthworks, 455 Hebron Road. Guided tours at the site are planned for 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m., with a remnants walking tour scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m.

The ceremony in Oregonia is slated to start at 3 p.m. at the Fort Ancient Earthworks and Nature Preserve, 6123 Ohio 350. The celebration will continue with a 1 p.m. tour Sept. 20 and architecture presentation at 10:30 a.m. the day after.

Ohio History Connection will unveil plaques at both ceremonies.

A separate event commemorating ancient sites in Chillicothe at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, 16062 Ohio 104, starts at 3 p.m. with events scheduled thereafter.

The organization hosted similar events last year about a month after the committee officially recognized the earthworks as one of the world’s significant cultural attractions . Earthworks advocates had pursued the designation for years , if not decades.

Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks is the name for the eight sites, all of which are in central and southern Ohio. Ohio History Connection manages three of them while the National Park Service oversees the other five.

Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at jhperez@newarkadvocate.com .

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Here's how Ohio is celebrating the Hopewell Earthworks one-year World Heritage anniversary