How has the Octagon Earthworks been used during the past century?
In 1933, a court-appointed trustee deeded the property preserving the Octagon State Earthworks to OHS. Prior to this transfer, the Octagon Earthworks was used by the State of Ohio as a militia encampment (1892-1908). In 1908, the property was returned to local control under the Newark Board of Trade (1908-1918). In 1910, the property was leased by the newly formed MBCC and was developed as a golf course. As a result of a Licking County Common Pleas Court case, a trustee was named to manage the property from 1918 to 1933, during which time the golf course was expanded. Facing difficult choices caused by the limited funding available to operate its large network of historic sites, OHS has periodically renewed the Octagon Earthworks lease with MBCC. The lease has been renewed in order to continue to preserve the property until such time as funding might become available to fully restore and maintain the site. Under the current lease, which runs until 2078, MBCC maintains the site and prov
