The Moundbuilders Country Club property, owned by the Newark Earthworks, can now be turned into a public park after the Ohio Supreme Court decided the Ohio History Connection (OHC) can seize it through eminent domain. The court ruling ends decades of dispute over the use of the land, which has been fiercely battled over the years.

Supreme Court verdict gives Ohio History Connection the upper hand

The decision was last taken to court on December 7, when judges’ votes were cast for the conclusion. Further, the results were lop-sided – a 6-1 ruling in favor of the Ohio History Connection.

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OHC’s executive director and CEO, Megan Wood, stated that the History Connection was ready for an extended wait; before hearing back about Moundbuilders’ move to reconsider. “We were prepared for it to take longer, but we’re ready to move on to the next steps,” Wood said. “Maybe they wanted to resolve it with the court that originally heard it, but they didn’t have to do that. They weren’t required.”

The ruling puts an end to four years of legal disputes and disagreements; that has led to altercations and even arrests. Also, the emotions during the conflicts ran high between those committed to expanding public access to a historic site and those determined to keep it operating as a private golf course, which its lease permitted.

What does OHC want with the golf club?

According to the OHC’s statements, the Moundbuilders, who had the property on rent, allowed merely four days of access, with no-golf days for public visitation of the mounds. “This has been a top priority for us,” Woods said. “It’s important to get access. It’s a sacred American Indian site. It’s not an appropriate use of the site, whether or not we have a World Heritage site.” She further added.

The OHC stated the court’s decision was based on three points – plans to create a public park on the site of the Octagon Earthworks, a park that will be in public use, and the appropriation of the site. According to the organization, World Heritage consideration does not affect those key elements.

Although the ruling is a breakthrough in the dispute that had kept golf enthusiasts in Ohio on their toes. However, the final judgment on the case will be made in 2023 following the appointment of the new chief justice. Interestingly, the sole vote against the OHC’s favor came from Sharon Kennedy; who’ll be in the running for the next chief justice position.