Indianapolis looking for high schoolers interested in excavating historic cemetery

INDIANAPOLIS — A select group of high school students is going to get selected this summer to help excavate the oldest cemetery in Indianapolis.

Now referred to as Greenlawn Cemetery, the site on the former Diamon Chain Plant, is actually four cemeteries that have had some occupants for more than 200 years.

The city is currently working on the Henry Street Bridge, a project that will connect either side of White River.

Before they can build on the bank closest to downtown, city leaders have committed to excavating the remains of the hundreds to thousands of people buried in that area.

Crews have been at work since November. The archeologists work in heated, greenhouse-like tents. They’ve already found nearly 300 grave shafts.

”Even the coffins have deteriorated, so you have to be careful and take it a little bit slow,” said Leon Bates, a local historian.

Bates is a part of the Community Advisory Group associated with the project.

Bates said there could be anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 people buried in the Greenlawn site. The cemetery first opened in the 1820s and closed in the early 1900s.

“The city is only working on 1.5 acres, so if they’ve already unearthed 250, 275 graves. We’re not sure how many more they’re going to find by the time they finish this,” Bates said.

It’s not just bones being found either. Archeologists with Stantec have found an 1863 coin, an 1880s brooch and different casket ornaments. 

”For Indianapolis, it is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Bates said. “We won’t be digging up another 200-year-old cemetery in this city in the near future.”

As the work continues, the city wants to bring on young minds interested in getting hands-on experience.

”When it comes to archeology, science, history, even cemetery law,” said Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas. “And the history of Indianapolis, which is even more important because for the young people it might be their history.”

There will be eight paid internships for high school students. The students will work alongside experts at the dig site. They’re calling the program Indy-ology. Thomas said the work will also involve finding out what they can about the people buried there.

”You’re also understanding who was here, if they owned land, they had families, they have businesses, they struggled, they helped build the city of Indianapolis,” Thomas said.

The remains will then be relocated to another cemetery nearby.

If you’re interested in information sessions or applying for Indy-ology, you can find more information on its website.