Archaeological Dig Along Henry Street Reveals 1,709 Grave Shafts — Many Contain 19th‑Century Remains

Excavation along Henry Street uncovers long-forgotten graves from Greenlawn Cemetery

Eunice Trotter walked the rocky 1.5-acre strip of land slated to become the Henry Street extension and found what community members had feared for years: disturbed soil and evidence of 19th-century burials. The narrow right-of-way, excavated ahead of road construction, revealed 1,709 grave shafts, the majority of which contained human remains.

What was found

Archaeological consultant Stantec led the dig, deploying roughly 100 staff beginning in October 2024. Teams recovered human remains, markers and personal items including 19th-century dolls, brooches and necklaces. The remains and associated artifacts were photographed, catalogued and transferred to bioarchaeologist Jeremy Wilson’s lab at Indiana University–Indianapolis (IUPUI) for analysis. Wilson and graduate students have examined roughly 500 individuals so far, including infant burials.

“This cemetery has been effaced for over 100 years, and it's been forgotten about by most people in the community — but not all,” Wilson said, adding that the work provides an opportunity to study these individuals scientifically and to rebury them respectfully.

History and community concerns

The site is part of the historic Greenlawn Cemetery complex, which once included four burial areas: the old burying ground, the new burying ground (Union Cemetery), Peck’s Ground and Greenlawn proper. Greenlawn accepted its last interments in the mid-1800s. When newer sections opened, the older portion became a pauper’s burial ground used by poor white and Black residents. Thousands of burials were estimated at Greenlawn by the time it ceased operations, but records—especially for Black burials—are sparse.

Community members, including Trotter, pushed for the archaeological survey before paving the right-of-way to prevent construction from obscuring or destroying unmarked graves. Trotter and others are calling for additional investigation of an adjacent roughly 25-acre tract owned by Keystone Development Corp., once proposed as Eleven Park and now used for event parking. That larger parcel was historically part of the Greenlawn complex.

“I’m really happy they did that for this right of way — at least. But with the uncovering of more than 1,700 grave shafts, you can only imagine what’s under the rest,” Trotter said, pointing toward the neighboring property.

Archaeological findings and interpretation

Stantec archaeologist Ryan Peterson noted the condition of caskets and remains varied. Because preservation differed across burials, the count of human remains does not match the count of grave shafts exactly; some shafts contained well-preserved, complete burials while others were fragmentary. Peterson reported that over half of the 1,709 individuals represented complete burials.

Burials sometimes overlapped or were stacked, reflecting years of intermittent interment; in some cases, three to five individuals were found in close association. The older burying ground displayed more frequent overlap, and infant remains were among those recovered.

Early laboratory analyses have revealed signs of infectious disease such as tuberculosis and manifestations of venereal syphilis, as well as evidence of occupational trauma consistent with hard manual labor. The remains represent a mix of white and Black individuals. To date, researchers report no clear spatial pattern indicating racial segregation within the excavated corridor, though further analysis — including costly genetic testing required to clarify complex ancestry — would be necessary to explore mixed ancestry.

Next steps and reburial questions

Officials say decisions about memorialization and reburial remain pending. The city’s Department of Public Works director, Todd Wilson, expressed confidence in Stantec’s methodology and noted the involvement of a community advisory group (CAG) in guiding the project.

Civic leaders also tied the excavation to timelines for nearby infrastructure: the roadway between Kentucky Avenue and the Henry Street Bridge is expected to be complete by the end of next year, bridge work across the White River should be mostly finished by that time, and west-side infrastructure is slated to open to the public within months.

Community advocates continue to press for full investigation of the adjacent Keystone parcel and for careful, respectful handling of recovered remains. Trotter said she is also monitoring other neglected late‑19th‑century cemeteries in Marion and Salem counties in a broader effort to preserve Indiana’s Black history.

Contact and acknowledgement

Stantec, Keystone Development Corp. and city officials were involved in the excavation process. Keystone did not respond to requests for comment prior to publication. This project has brought renewed attention to the erasure of early Black Hoosiers from historical records and to the urgency of documenting and protecting burial sites before development obscures them irretrievably.