New hospital, or ancient burial ground?
Archeologist to survey site of Denison's proposed $35 million medical campus
By Tim Gallagher Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
DENISON, Iowa -- An official with the Office of the State Archeologist at the University of Iowa will survey the site for a new hospital in Denison in the next few days to determine if the area served as a burial ground for Native Americans centuries ago.
"The Denison area has known significant archeological sites including some with burials," said Dr. John Doershuk, state archeologist. "The Boyer River cuts through there and there are burial sites in both the valleys and the uplands."
Conducting a survey before site preparation commences for a $35.4 million campus for a new Crawford County Memorial Hospital isn't required.
"When federal funding is involved, a law requires archeological surveys of this type," Doershuk said. "Absent this, the hospital board doesn't have to do this, but they're doing the right thing. If, in fact, there is a burial mound up there and they would cut into it (in construction), then they'd be in violation of state law."
Doershuk was contacted about the project by a member of the hospital's engineering firm. The hospital will pay for one official from Doershuk's office to travel to Denison this week or next to spend two days conducting a preliminary survey of the 40-acre parcel near the intersection of Highways 59 and 141 at the northwest corner of the Crawford County seat.
"If they determine another survey is needed after the first one, we will do another survey," said Mark Rinehardt, hospital administrator.
The hospital board in May voted to exercise an option to purchase the land for $10,000 per acre.
In explaining the process, Doershuk used a medical analogy. "It's like a patient who tells a doctor he doesn't feel well and the doctor says they did tests, but now need to do surgery to see what's there," he said. "We're in that stage, at the point where we'll open the ground to see what's there."
It is believed a portion of this area could have been cut off or altered by the Iowa Department of Transportation when Highway 59 was realigned in the 1960s. Doershuk said a professional archeologist has never conducted a formal survey of the parcel.
"The best thing is to get somebody out there to look at the landscape setting," he said. "They'll look at the ground surface for artifacts and otherwise look at locations that might warrant some excavation or deeper sampling."
Prehistoric people, he added, may have maintained a campsite at the top of a bluff that was cut off in the 1960s.
If something is found, the hospital project could still proceed. In many instances, planners of new facilities work with archeologists to integrate a preserved area into the project design. For example, a small area might need to be green-spaced within the campus to preserve the archeology long-term.
A series of burial mounds, however, could greatly alter or challenge construction.
"The potential exists for something like a series of burial mounds to be present that could cause serious discussions to take place," Doershuk said. "That's a bridge to cross in the future."
Rinehardt said hospital officials will continue to move forward, planning the platting and annexing steps at this site. He said he remains hopeful ground could be broken this fall for a hospital campus to replace the 1951 facility at 20th Street and Broadway near downtown Denison.
"The Denison area has known significant archeological sites including some with burials," said Dr. John Doershuk, state archeologist. "The Boyer River cuts through there and there are burial sites in both the valleys and the uplands."
Conducting a survey before site preparation commences for a $35.4 million campus for a new Crawford County Memorial Hospital isn't required.
"When federal funding is involved, a law requires archeological surveys of this type," Doershuk said. "Absent this, the hospital board doesn't have to do this, but they're doing the right thing. If, in fact, there is a burial mound up there and they would cut into it (in construction), then they'd be in violation of state law."
Doershuk was contacted about the project by a member of the hospital's engineering firm. The hospital will pay for one official from Doershuk's office to travel to Denison this week or next to spend two days conducting a preliminary survey of the 40-acre parcel near the intersection of Highways 59 and 141 at the northwest corner of the Crawford County seat.
"If they determine another survey is needed after the first one, we will do another survey," said Mark Rinehardt, hospital administrator.
The hospital board in May voted to exercise an option to purchase the land for $10,000 per acre.
In explaining the process, Doershuk used a medical analogy. "It's like a patient who tells a doctor he doesn't feel well and the doctor says they did tests, but now need to do surgery to see what's there," he said. "We're in that stage, at the point where we'll open the ground to see what's there."
It is believed a portion of this area could have been cut off or altered by the Iowa Department of Transportation when Highway 59 was realigned in the 1960s. Doershuk said a professional archeologist has never conducted a formal survey of the parcel.
"The best thing is to get somebody out there to look at the landscape setting," he said. "They'll look at the ground surface for artifacts and otherwise look at locations that might warrant some excavation or deeper sampling."
Prehistoric people, he added, may have maintained a campsite at the top of a bluff that was cut off in the 1960s.
If something is found, the hospital project could still proceed. In many instances, planners of new facilities work with archeologists to integrate a preserved area into the project design. For example, a small area might need to be green-spaced within the campus to preserve the archeology long-term.
A series of burial mounds, however, could greatly alter or challenge construction.
"The potential exists for something like a series of burial mounds to be present that could cause serious discussions to take place," Doershuk said. "That's a bridge to cross in the future."
Rinehardt said hospital officials will continue to move forward, planning the platting and annexing steps at this site. He said he remains hopeful ground could be broken this fall for a hospital campus to replace the 1951 facility at 20th Street and Broadway near downtown Denison.
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