Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Norton Mounds, a property of the Public Museum since 1936, are 13 Hopewell burial mounds near the Grand River a few miles southwest of downtown Grand Rapids in Millennium Park. The largest remaining mound is 15 feet high and 80 feet in diameter.

Hopewell is a scientific name given to an ancient civilization that flourished over 2,000 years ago from the Upper Peninsula to the Gulf Coast. The Norton Mounds site, one of the best preserved Hopewellian cemeteries in the country and one of the most important archaeological sites in Michigan, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

The Norton Mounds Cultural Resource Project launched by the Public Museum will produce a master plan for long-term preservation, education, access and respect for the site. An advisory council comprised of historians, educators, scientists and representatives from Native American communities are active participants in developing the master plan. Until the plan is completed, scientific study and access to the site is restricted.