Nearly 700 “grave shafts” were discovered in Indiana during excavation work, according to the project’s archeology consultant.
According to WXIN, citing a news statement from the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, an archaeology consultant working on a redevelopment project involving the Henry Street Bridge in Indianapolis confirmed the presence of 674 “grave shafts” along the Henry Street right-of-way.
According to IndyStar, the number of shafts discovered exceeded the estimated 650 while workmen dug in the “Old Burying Ground,” a part of the ancient Greenlawn Cemetery.
According to WXIN, it was founded in 1821 and is regarded as Indianapolis’ first official cemetery. It was also the largest burial place for African Americans in Indiana. Officials speaking with the station stated that the number of shafts does not correspond to the number of victims discovered and that “additional research and lab analysis of recovered remains” will be required to determine that figure.
“Our approach and commitment to the respectful excavation and reinterment of individuals remains unchanged,” Ryan Peterson, Stantec’s lead archaeologist, wrote in a press release obtained by WXIN. “While more grave shafts have been identified than initially estimated for the right-of-way, this does not necessarily mean we will unearth a similar number of grave shafts in the areas still awaiting excavation.”
Stantec began excavating the site in November 2024.
The work is related to the “White River Innovation District Infrastructure project,” which, when complete, will include “new roadways on each side of the White River near the former GM Stamping Plant and a new Henry Street bridge connecting the new development to downtown.”
“From the banks of the White River, City officials and community members celebrated the Henry Street Bridge groundbreaking. This skyline-altering project will provide a vital new connection to Downtown Indianapolis from the west side, enhancing connectivity and supporting the continued growth of LEVEE, formerly the White River Innovation District Henry Steet Bridge will be a critical new link in our city, making Downtown Indianapolis more accessible to our west side communities than ever before,” the project’s webpage reads.
According to IndyStar, a $1 billion development project planned for the region, which was to include a soccer stadium for Indy Eleven, was halted after the developer, Keystone Group, accused Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett of abandoning the project to court a Major League Soccer team.
According to the magazine, the complex would include residential, hotel, entertainment, and retail facilities in addition to the stadium.
To read more about the White Water Innovation District Infrastructure project, please visit HERE.
