Peoria Expansion Complicated by 19th-Century Cemetery

Discovery of human remains at the site of an 18,000-square-foot expansion at Peoria (Ill.) Public Library’s Lincoln Branch may add up to $500,000 to the $5.5-million construction cost.

The branch was built on the site of a city cemetery that closed in 1875. City records indicate that 321 bodies were relocated before the cemetery closed, long before the library was built in 1910. Aware of the possibility that not all bodies were moved, however, the library hired Midwest Archaeological Research Services to conduct an archaeological study of the property. MARS has uncovered 93 suspected human burial sites, and estimates that as many as 120 graves could be within the construction zone, the Peoria Journal Star reported June 16. Illinois’ Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act requires human remains found in a construction zone to be removed and identified before relocation, although the library is not responsible for any remains outside the footprint of the addition.

“MARS will work on behalf of Peoria Public Library with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to ensure the letter of the law is met,” wrote Trisha Noack, Peoria Public Library public relations supervisor, on the library’s Construction News blog June 2. Dawn Cobb, an archaeologist with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency who will confirm that work is complying with state law, commended the library in the February 2 issue of the Journal Star, saying the library was “going about this process the right way and well in advance of the addition project.”

The library currently has five construction projects planned with a total cost of $28 million. Library officials have said that they may be able to absorb the cost of relocating the bodies, the Journal Star reported June 16.

Excavation and exploration is planned to continue through the week of June 22, although heavy rains have slowed work. When that stage is complete, the library will finalize its construction plans.

—Greg Landgraf, American Libraries Online
Posted on June 17, 2009.

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