Los Angeles, Calif., Jan 27, 2011 / 22:59 pm
The construction of a Mexican cultural center in Los Angeles has uncovered a 200-year-old Catholic cemetery mistakenly thought to have been moved. The development has caused concern among Native Americans and others who believe their relatives are among the buried.
La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is a project of Los Angeles County and a Smithsonian affiliate. Its construction work is taking place near Our Lady of the Angels Catholic church, the city’s oldest parish also known as La Placita.
Historical records indicate that anywhere from 100 to 300 American Indians are likely to be buried at the center’s site, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports.
The construction on the center halted as soon as the cemetery was discovered, though it is still scheduled to open soon.