SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The remains of homes burned down during race riots that ravaged Springfield, Illinois in 1908 will be excavated and artifacts uncovered will be curated.
The State Journal-Register reports the plan for the homes was approved Tuesday by the City Council. The burned homes were found in 2014 during a building project to consolidate rail traffic through the city.
The block-long site has remained untouched while the Federal Railroad Administration, the city, the Illinois Historic Preservation Office and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation formulated and approved a plan for the site.
Terms of the agreement assured video recording of the excavation and interviews with the archaeologists, as well as occasional guided tours of the site. The artifacts will be housed in the Illinois State Museum, which would be responsible for lending them to exhibits around the country.
