Much of the earth used to build the earthworks was dug from borrow pits such as this one. In some cases, borrow pits were transformed into ponds and incorporated into the sacred architecture of the site. This borrow pit later became a pond used for recreation when the Great Circle was part of the Licking County Fairgrounds. At the "Beautiful Idlewilde" park, once located here at the Great Circle Earthworks, a series of ponds was used for swimming and boating, although advertising for the park said its crowning glory was the Great Circle itself, which constituted a large portion of the park grounds proper and was well worth a pilgrimage of many miles.