WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. (WDTN) — A Wayne County bridge project led to the discovery of historic human remains.
Beginning in April, a utility relocation operation for the US-27 bridge has been conducted by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in Richmond.
The bridge stretches above the tracks for the Norfolk Southern Railroad and local streets and in the middle of the relocation portion of the project, construction crews found historic human remains.
Following the uncovering of the remains, the department had an experienced archaeological consulting firm come to the site to secure it. The firm is also conducting document discoveries and handling the disturbed remains.
2 NEWS reached out to INDOT for comment on the findings of the remains. You can read the statement below.
“The remains have been handled with great care by qualified professional archaeologists working under a plan approved by the IDHPA and coordinated with the county coroner,” INDOT said. “INDOT wishes to respect the remains, and the Cultural Resource Office will take steps to preserve the dignity of the deceased individuals by covering or tenting the area during removal.”
The US-27 project began in April, according to INDOT.
Beth McCord is the Director of the Historic Preservation and Archaeology for the state of Indiana. She says there was a Historic Quaker Cemetery in the general area where the remains were found.
