Bridges Project Excavates Former Civil War Cemetery
October 2005 – In early September, archaeologists beginning a search for human remains in Colston Park, a former Civil War and City cemetery in downtown Jeffersonville, found reason to return for additional study.
To delineate the cemetery and confirm or deny the existence of grave shafts in the park, the project team returned to perform excavation work on Wednesday, October 19.
The same team of consultants, including individuals from the ASC Group, Inc. returned to excavate at least two archaeological trenches at the park. The trench size is approximately three to four feet wide, 15 - 25 feet long and about six feet deep. A backhoe was used to perform the excavation, which did not disturb any graves or human remains. Any burial remains discovered were left in place and re-covered. All park land disturbed will be reseeded in cooperation with the City of Jeffersonville.
“Our work at Colston Park will be completed with the utmost care and precision to ensure that we do not disturb any burial remains at the park. The team of experts executing this work understands the sensitivity of working in an area where people may still be interred,” noted Jeff Vlach, Environmental Commitments Manager with Community Transportation Solutions (CTS-GEC), the General Engineering Consultant on the Bridges Project.
The September above-ground geophysical study results showed possible grave-like magnetic anomalies in the park’s soil – variations in soil density indicate possible grave shafts. Following the two-day study that incorporated magnetic and electrical resistivity methodologies, a summary report was submitted to the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. That office reviewed the data and approved the recommendation to return and excavate.
The Ohio River Bridges Project team initiated the study because Indiana law mandates that any disturbances within 100 feet of a cemetery require the preparation of a development plan to address the encroachment. The project must determine if the area will impact final design of the Jeffersonville approach to the New Downtown Bridge.
A historical marker at Colston Park describes the cemetery and indicates that the buried Confederate and Union soldiers were not moved before the area became a park in 1920. United States government records contradict that, however, and denote that the bodies were moved. Also, local records indicate that the area served as a city cemetery as early as 1807. Thus, further study to delineate the western boundary of the cemetery is needed before final design on the approach continues.
The Bridges Project public involvement effort includes Historic Preservation Advisory Teams in each state. Project team members meet with the groups regularly to review project work and ensure that historic mitigation measures are being addressed properly.
The Ohio River Bridges Project addresses the long-term, cross-river transportation needs in the Louisville-Southern Indiana region. The Federal Highway Administration, Indiana Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet agreed that the only feasible way to meet cross-river transportation needs was to construct two new bridges and rebuild the Kennedy Interchange. Of a variety of options studied, the alternative selected would best achieve the transportation needs with the least amount of impact on environmental resources and the communities.
The Bridges Project is currently in the design phase and is tentatively scheduled to be complete by 2020.
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