San Antonio: Exhumation Of Human Remains Begins On Santa Rosa Street

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

September 1, 2020

SAN ANTONIO- The City of San Antonio today began exhuming human remains that were discovered earlier this year on Santa Rosa Street. Prior to the removal process, the City’s Public Works Department gave descendant groups an opportunity to conduct spiritual ceremonies at the site.

The bone fragments were initially discovered in May of this year during an Archeological and Cultural Investigation that was conducted under an antiquities permit, part of a larger 2017-2022 Bond Program Project to improve streets and corridors around Milam Park.

The 1718 San Antonio Founding Families and Descendants group entered the work site early this morning and prayed over the trench where the remains were found. Other descendants later joined their efforts with private ceremonies of their own, in the hour before archaeology crews began sealing off the area to begin the exhumation process.

The City will not reinter the human remains until construction of all three projects adjacent to Milam Park (Santa Rosa, San Saba & Commerce streets) are completed, which is scheduled for Summer 2023.

Archaeological work for Commerce Street is anticipated to begin in late October 2020.

The human remains and all associated archeological objects will be temporarily stored at the UTSA Center for Archaeological Research to await reinterment. Once all the improvements are made, the City plans to meet with the descendant groups to discuss future reinternment efforts.

“The City is committed to being open, transparent and respectful with the sensitivity of the removal and reinterment of human remains within the project area,” said Paul Berry, spokesman for the Public Works Department.

Bexar County District Court granted the City’s petition for removal of human remains and dedication at the Santa Rosa, San Saba and Commerce Street projects August 14, 2020. The City also received approval of the exhumation permit from the Texas Historical Commission (THC) August 24, 2020.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.