Description: William Corliss Mills, archaeologist for the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection), at his desk in Page Hall, Columbus, Ohio, 1903. He was born on January 2, 1860 in Montgomery County, Ohio. He died on January 17, 1928 in Columbus, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08600
Subjects: Mills, William C. (William Corless), 1860-1928; Ohio Historical Society; Archaeology;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Henry C. Shetrone (left) and William C. Mills (right), archaeologists for the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection) at the excavation of the Mound City site in Ross County, Ohio, 1920 -1921. Mound City is a burial mound and earthwork complex located in Union Township, Ross County, Ohio. It is situated on the west bank of the Scioto River opposite the Hopeton Earthworks, a few miles north of Chillicothe. The site was constructed between approximately 100 BC and AD 400 by people of the Hopewell Culture and consists of 22 variously sized mounds surrounded a low, four-sided, earthen embankment that encloses about 13 acres. During World War I Mound City became part of an expansive army training facility called Camp Sherman. In an attempt to preserve as much of the site’s integrity as the army would allow, the mounds were flattened or truncated and camp buildings built over them and not intruded into them. Beginning in the 1920s, the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection) funded restoration of the site and in 1923 the Mound City Group was elevated to the status of National Monument. Since 1992 Mound City has served as the focal point of the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. Restoration lasted several years and was the beginning of the movement toward archaeology as a disciplined profession. One interesting aspect learned during the restoration process was that, for whatever reason, burials at Mound City were of a more egalitarian nature and not just of apparent high status as seen at other locations. The Mound City Group is one of seven Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Earthwork sites presently under consideration by the United States Department of the Interior for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02717
Subjects: Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society; Shetrone, H. C.; Mills, William C. (William Corless), 1860-1928; Archaeology;
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph depicts the excavation crew working on the last cut on the bottom of the Adena Mound in Chillicothe, Ohio, 1901. In 1901, William C. Mills excavated the Adena Mound. At the time, Mills was the Curator of Archaeology at the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection). He and his team of workers discovered a number of artifacts in the mound, including copper bracelets and rings, slate gorgets, spear points made from Flint Ridge flint, and many bone and shell beads. The most remarkable artifact found in the Adena Mound was the Adena effigy pipe, also known as the Adena Man, which is now recognized as the state artifact of Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL08566
Subjects: Adena Culture (800 B.C.–A.D. 100); Adena Mound; Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mills, William C. (William Corless), 1860-1928;
Places: Chillicothe (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: This is a bookplate of William C. Mills (1860-1928). Mills developed an avocational interest in archaeology while making a living as a pharmacist in small towns in Ohio and Kansas from 1885 to 1897. He earned B.S. (1898) and M.S. (1902) degrees from The Ohio State University. Having served as secretary of a local archaeological society (1888-1890) in Newcomerstown, Ohio, he became curator (1898-1921) and then director (1921-1928) of the Museum of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society at Columbus. The large scroll-like piece represents a large copper plate, the only example found in the mounds at that time. In 1902 Mills, then the Society's curator, excavated the Adena Mound (Chillicothe). The center piece is the Adena Mound Effigy Pipe, one of the finest examples of sculpture work found in any mound in the United States. The whole bookplate includes drawings of objects representing explorations that Mills made. At the bottom of the main illustration are two groups of initials: "I.E.F. Del (left corner) and "A.N.M. Sc" (right corner). View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05658
Subjects: Bookplates; Mills, William C. (William Corless), 1860-1928; Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society; Cultural Ohio--Literary Ohio; Archaeology
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: This is a bookplate of William C. Mills (1860-1928). Mills developed an avocational interest in archaeology while making a living as a pharmacist in small towns in Ohio and Kansas from 1885 to 1897. He earned B.S. (1898) and M.S. (1902) degrees from The Ohio State University. Having served as secretary of a local archaeological society (1888-1890) in Newcomerstown, Ohio, he became curator (1898-1921) and then director (1921-1928) of the Museum of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society at Columbus. The central figure in the rectangular bookplate is a representation of the Adena Mound Effigy Pipe. In 1901 Mills, then curator of archaeology at the Society, excavated the Adena Mound. The bookplate was illustrated by Jane Armstrong Shepard in 1913. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05659
Subjects: Bookplates; Mills, William C. (William Corless), 1860-1928; Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society; Cultural Ohio--Literary Ohio; Archaeology