People working to restore dignity to an overgrown cemetery in West Price Hill have new information to advance their cause.
The former cemetery, known as Potter's Field, straddles Guerly Road. Half of the property is now Rapid Run Park, and the other half is a hillside covered in honeysuckle and brambles.
From 1852 to 1981, Potter's Field was used to bury people who couldn't afford to be buried elsewhere, or whose remains were unidentified at the time of their death. As many as 20,000 people could be buried there.
A grant from the National Park Service funded archaeological mapping of the site. The work occurred late last year using ground-penetrating radar, magnetometers, electromagnetic conductivity surveys and a human remains detection dog nicknamed Pocket.
RELATED: Work begins to find those buried at West Price Hill's Potter's Field
That mapping found evidence of human remains beneath Rapid Run Park.
On Cincinnati Edition, we discuss those findings and possible next steps in creating a plan for the future of Potter's Field.
Guests:
- Jason Barron, Cincinnati Parks director
- Crystal Courtney, Cincinnati Parks natural resources division manager
- Michael Morgan, leading the Potter's Field initiative for Price Hill Will
- Rachel Sharkey, Archaeological Research Institute director of public archaeology
Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.
Never miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast: