ArchaeoTrek

Tarlton Cross Mound, Tarlton, Ohio

By Dr. Greg Little

(Greg Little is author of The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Mounds & Earthworks.

The Tarlton Cross Mound is one of a few thousand mounds and earthworks remaining in Ohio, but it is unique in several ways. The mound is accessed by walking across a suspension bridge (built in 1936) located in the 29-acre Cross Mound Park, just north of Tarlton, OH on16th Road, SW. The mound is about 90-feet in diameter but is only 4-feet high. It is formed into a perfect cross (an X-shape), with each of the bars forming the cross 90-feet long and 20-feet wide. Its purpose is unknown but some speculate there may be astronomical alignments involved. When the mound was discovered there were at least 5 smaller stone mounds associated with it. Today, only one of these stone mounds remains. The site was looted just a few years ago but has now been restored. Tarlton Cross Mound is certainly not the most impressive of mounds in Ohio, but is a complete enigma and is unique.