Shrum Mound

A VERY quick stop, but a historically amazing one! To think that there are remains under this mound that was crafted hundreds of years ago and still remains preserved is honorable.
I particularly loved discovering the stone structures piled on top of the hill. Gave me a very primal connection to the experience.

This mound is a beautiful sight and you can feel the incredible positive energy. It is also pleasing to see, that no litter or vandalism is present. Please treat these sacred grounds with respect.

Ancient indian burial ground right behind my apartment– super cool! And always nice and empty! Driving by though you would never expect it to be anything half as interesting.

I had been here about 20 years ago, and happened to be nearby (on my way to the junkyards) so stopped to check it out. I was impressed all over again.
One of the few remaining mounds in Franklin County, this one is darn big. Clearly never farmed over, which is what saved it. Why? Dunno.
The small park it’s in, Campbell Park, is quite nice and seems to be a dog hangout. The quarry behind the park is visible from the top of the mound, and is the reason for the fence and signs.

After years of living in the Columbus area, and driving very close to the Shrum Mound, I finally took some time to stop by and explore.
Honestly, the first thing I thought was the end of the movie Poltergeist, where the lead character is yelling about removing the headstones but not removing the bodies. Luckily, no bodies were moved, and I’m pretty sure there weren’t headstones. Whew!
No ghosts, no haunting, except for the way you feel when you know that you’re walking on history.
I took a few pictures, which I’ll post at some point, but honestly, it’s just a tall mound, covered with grass, with a walkway containing «steps» on each side. There are a few historical plaques and signs, a nice stone entryway, with a tree dead-​center in the middle as you look down from the top of the mound. I’m not sure if this was designed this way, or if it just happened, but it’s pretty cool.
I walked all the way around, noticed the huge trees, the grass, a few pieces of litter here and there, and the stone wall around the perimeter. There’s not just a pretty stone wall, but there’s also a fence with the typical warning signs insisting that you not cross over. There’s a large body of water on the other side, and I’m pretty sure you want to avoid it. Being extra bad at geography, I have no clue what the water represents, but I was there for the mound, and so the fences kept me there.
I really didn’t spend a lot of time, but I tried to avoid the mud and water near the entrance, attempted to capture the essence of age with my camera, walked to the top of the mound, looked down, said «huh,» then climbed down, and drove away.
I’m pretty sure if you went with someone who knew something about the ancient civilization, or knew something yourself, you’d have a slightly more fun experience. In my Disney-​wasted mind, I imagine someone telling me that this 2,000 year old civilization actually had flying cars, crime numbers similar to modern-​day Columbus, and had a mystical reason for burying folks in mounds rather than in individual graves. Sadly, none of my fantasy dreams came true, and I ended up leaving feeling a little cheated by the whole experience.
The mound and associated park is free to visit, with ample parking out front, and none of the standard amenities you’d expect in a park. In other words? Pee before you go. There are a few backless benches, a few rocks, and… that’s about it. I guess if you wanted to have a picnic in the grass around the mound, no one would stop you, but would that be creepy? Possibly. Then again, you don’t know that there aren’t smaller, less moundy burial mounds everywhere you try to place your blanket and basket, do you?
I was actually more impressed with the large tree off to the left when you first walk in, which grew strange, but very large. Again, I imagined this tree growing better given hundreds of years, and extra potassium. Soylent Green is people!
I’d say go to visit, bring your friends, spend a few minutes admiring the mound, then head out. If you research and review the mound before you head out, you can have interesting conversations about the official details behind this site, and can avoid the flying cars fiasco.

If you’ve ever driven along McKinley Avenue on the west side near Hilliard, you may have spotted a giant mound of grassy earth. This happens to be an ancient, native American site owned and maintained by the Ohio Historical Society.
Shrum Mound is not much to look at, especially when you see the cesspool of stagnant water pooled behind it. It will not remotely impressive if you have visited other Indian mounds like Serpent Mound, but Shrum was built by the prehistoric Adena people more than 2000 years ago. It represents the last remaining conical burial mound in the city of Columbus, of which there were once hundreds. This alone makes it deserving of a half-​decent rating.
The grassy knoll rises 20-​foot-​high and is 100-​feet in diameter. It’s located in the tiny roadside park known as Campbell Park, named for James E. Campbell, governor of Ohio from 1890 until 1892.
Climb the steps to its summit and you will feel 2000 years of history under foot. It’s still a haunting place, despite the noisy traffic rumbling by and the railroad tracks up the street.