Tours Return to Fortified Hill, an Indigenous Site at Pyramid Hill, in 2025

Pyramid Hill is proud to announce the return of public tours of Fortified Hill, a 2,000-year-old Indigenous earthwork located within the Park’s boundaries. Tours for the 2025 season begin Friday, June 6, and will run the first weekend of each month through the fall, with an additional tour on Indigenous Peoples' Day, Monday, October 13. Tickets are available now at pyramidhill.org/fortifiedhill. 

This marks the second season of public access to Fortified Hill, a significant Hopewell cultural site preserved through the efforts of the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, the Heartland Earthworks Conservancy, Dr. Jeff Leipzig, and many more donors and community partners. Fortified Hill was purchased in 2019 and gifted to Pyramid Hill for stewardship thanks to a lead gift by Barbara Wilks and Nanci Lanni of the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation.

This year’s tour program is led by Stephen Smith, Associate Director of Education and Programs at Pyramid Hill, who brings renewed energy to the site’s interpretation and outreach. 

“It’s an honor to help steward this next chapter for Fortified Hill,” said Smith. “I’ve been learning so much from our community and Tribal partners. It’s inspiring to be part of a project that helps connect our community with the deep history of this land and the people who have cared for it for thousands of years.” 

Looking ahead, Pyramid Hill is preparing for the next phase of Fortified Hill’s revitalization, which includes plans for a dedicated parking area with a drop-off area for field trips and an outdoor classroom to support expanded educational programming. 

In addition to the walking site tours, the Fortified Hill permanent exhibit inside the Park’s Gallery Museum has been updated with new interpretive materials. Admission to the gallery is included with general Park entry and is open during regular Gallery Museum hours: 12PM – 5PM, closed on Tuesday. 

Fortified Hill Site Tours are held the first weekend of each month, with Friday tours at 6PM and Saturday tours at 11AM and 2PM. Dates for 2025 include:

• Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7 

• Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5 

• Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2 

• Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6 

• Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4, and Monday, October 13 (Indigenous Peoples' Day) 

• Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8 (weather dependent) 

Fortified Hill site tour tickets can be purchased online at pyramidhill.org/fortifiedhill. Pyramid Hill members enjoy discounted ticket prices: $20 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. For non-members, tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Each ticket includes daily admission to Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, and all proceeds from these tours will support the maintenance and preservation of Fortified Hill. 

Thanks to the generosity of the Ross Community Foundation, Ross Township residents receive complimentary tours on a first come, first serve basis. If you are a Ross Township resident and want to book a tour at no cost, please contact Stephen Smith, Associate Director of Education & Programming, at ssmith@pyramidhill.org or 513-217-9205. 

About Fortified Hill 

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park is located within the Traditional Homelands of the Myaamia (Miami) and Saawanooki (Shawnee) Peoples. The Fortified Hill Earthwork stands as a testament to the depth of time that Indigenous Peoples have lived in and stewarded this region. Pyramid Hill acknowledges the sovereign Tribal Nations who continue to guide and collaborate on preservation and interpretation of this sacred site, including the Delaware Tribe of Indians, The Shawnee Tribe, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Wyandotte Nation.