City officials vow to preserve human remains found at bridge project
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Archaeologists hired by Indianapolis officials confirmed Thursday they found bone fragments that they believe to be part of the Greenlawn Cemetery.
The area is on the east bank of the White River, where crews are constructing a bridge connecting the new Elanco Innovation District on the west bank.
Indianapolis Department of Public Works Director Brandon Herget expects more remains will be found.
“Take those remains out of the ground, and do so in a respectful way under the consultation of the archaeologists,” Herget said. “So, we can document that history and be transparent with that history, and ultimately reinter those remains properly,” he said.
Archeologists also discovered the remnants of what was once the largest electric railway freight terminal in the world.
But before those tracks ran through the area, off Kentucky Avenue, this was the site of Indianapolis’ first cemetery in the city.
Historians believe a portion of the cemetery was segregated, and dating back to 1821, as many as 1,300 African Americans were buried there.
Eunice Trotter, director of the Black Heritage Preservation Program at Indiana Landmarks, said many of those buried there played an important role in the city’s history.
“Some of those names include people like Augustus Turner,” Trotter said. “Augustus Turner was the founder. It was at in log cabin, which at that time was located in downtown Indianapolis, of Bethel AME Church. African Methodist Episcopal Church.”
Those who had the means were able move their loved ones out of the cemetery before it closed, but not everyone was as fortunate, and many graves were lost as time passed.
“There were reports of slaughterhouses having been built here, at point a baseball field, and most recently, the Diamond Chain manufacturing facility,” Herget said. “So, there have been generations of development on this ground without proper attention being paid to what is buried underneath.”
Archaeologists said it will probably take them through next spring to finish recovering the remains. The Henry Street Bridge is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2026.