Mexican Settlement Near the Presidio Discovered By Archeologists

Archaeologists  at the Fourth Annual Redmond Kernan Lecture Series disclosed their findings of a one-time valley known as El Polin. The valley was discovered beneath four feet of landfill and dates to hundreds of years ago.

The Presidio, site of the first Mexican settlement in San Francisco, will be transformed into an educational walking trail, according to Presidio Trust officials. A classroom deemed the "El Polin Loop" will provide students the opportunity to study the archaeological finds up close.

“This is hot off the presses,” Kari Jones said, referring to the approval of the loop. “I’m so excited, this is wonderful. The great thing about Presidio archaeology is that we get to bring it to the public. Normally archaeologists dig up some artifacts, interpret them and then bury them again.”

Restoration efforts in the wetlands will tranhsform the landscape, reminiscent of the Presidio’s Mexican era. Presidio's history has been poorly understood, so archaeologists are thrilled with this new find, whi9ch will shed light on the Mexican settlements.

This seems to be the first physical evidence of Mexican settlements outside The Presidio, Jones said. The El Polin settlements were on the main trail that extended from El Presidio to Mission Dolores. These were the only established settlements at the time, which was around the 1810’s. Under Mexico rule, El Presidio housed the Mexican governor of California.“That’s why it so important,” Jones said. At this time you were either a soldier or a missionary. Both were very structured societies, and to live outside of those establishments was unheard of until then, Jones added.

Skeletal Remains Discovered at the Future Site of La Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Archaeological Discovery

Officials of a planned Mexican American heritage cultural center are scrambling to do damage control after receiving criticism about their excavation of skeletal remains from a 19th century cemetery.

The fragile bones of dozens of bodies were recently found buried beneath a planned outdoor space and garden at the future site of La Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

Native American groups, archaeologists and the Los Angeles Archdiocese have voiced concerns over the removal of what may be the remains of the city’s first cemetery.

Early settlers of Spanish, Native American and Mexican descent were buried in the Catholic cemetery south of La Placita Church before it was officially closed in 1844. According to Catholic Church records, the bodies were moved and reinterred elsewhere.

On Sunday, some who claimed to be descendants of those buried at the site gathered there for a vigil and called for at least a temporary stop to the construction.

“Our excavation has not ceased,” La Plaza spokeswoman Katie Dunham said Tuesday. “We’re setting up several meetings Friday with people who have expressed concerns.”

Read the entire article: Skeletal remains found near Olvera Street prompt calls for construction halt