BATAVIA, Ohio — The Clermont County Historical Society will close out its 2026 meeting schedule Saturday with a presentation on the early history of Serpent Mound, the ancient effigy earthwork in Adams County, from a longtime leader of the nonprofit that works to preserve it.
The society’s last meeting of the year is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Batavia Branch Library, 180 S. 3rd St., and is free and open to the public, the society said in a Facebook post. The guest speaker is Jeffrey Wilson, president and Future Planning Chair director of Friends of Serpent Mound, who the society said has “researched deeply into this beautiful, ancient earthwork.”
Wilson has been involved with Friends of Serpent Mound since its founding in 2004, later serving as the all-volunteer nonprofit’s executive director before taking on his current role overseeing the group’s long-term planning, according to the organization. Friends of Serpent Mound grew out of a committee formed under the Adams County Travel and Visitors Bureau and now works to protect, preserve and promote Serpent Mound and other Native American sites in the region, according to the group.
Serpent Mound, located near Peebles in Adams County, is a 1,348-foot-long earthen effigy in the shape of an undulating serpent and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Archaeologists have long debated who built it: some research points to the Adena culture around 300 B.C., while other researchers argue the effigy’s design and construction are more consistent with the Fort Ancient culture centuries later. The site is maintained today by the Ohio History Connection.
The Clermont County Historical Society, a nonprofit based in Batavia, works to “preserve, protect and promote the historical heritage of Clermont County,” according to the organization. The society, led by President-Curator Dr. Kelly Wright, recently relocated its headquarters and archives to the Batavia Armory while continuing to hold its public meetings at the Batavia Branch Library.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Clermont County Historical Society.