Bethel Cemetery Reburial, Agency, and Stakeholder Coordination

Summary

This is an abstract from the "The Bethel Cemetery Relocation Project: Historical, Osteological, and Material Culture Analyses of a Nineteenth-Century Indiana Cemetery" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Bethel Cemetery excavation required extensive coordination with a number of agencies. Both the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (SHPO) and the State Revolving Fund provided regulatory oversight. The scientific investigation was completed under Section 106 of the NHPA and Indiana Code (14-21-1), which allows for the archaeological relocation of human remains that predate January 1, 1940. While not specifically required under the law, extensive efforts were made to engage descendants, veterans’ groups, the preservation community, and other interested parties. Outreach culminated with a rededication ceremony at Concordia Cemetery, the new resting place of those interred in the Bethel Cemetery. The cemetery was reconstructed in a compressed space but remained respectful of family groupings. When possible, burials with monuments that were damaged or buried were re-associated with the proper grave. In some cases, the identities of individuals in unmarked graves could be determined. Graves of the unidentified were provided with markers with unique identifiers that correspond with the report, so that in the future family members and researchers will have access to the extensive information that was compiled for each burial. The project resulted in extensive documentation and research while maintaining the utmost respect for the deceased.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)   •
• The Bethel Cemetery Relocation Project: Historical, Osteological, and Material Culture Analyses of a Nineteenth-Century Indiana Cemetery

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37526.0