Seattle's Street Grading Unearthed Native Remains—and Discarded Them
In 1876, as Seattle graded its streets, workers found the remains of dead Indians and disposed of them without ceremony. A local paper reported it as just another improvement.
In grading the streets of Seattle, the remains of dead Indians were found—one of the many improvements enlivening that famous town. The [local paper] says: 'A second skeleton was found yesterday, unmistakably that of an Indian. Both skeletons were carried down to the [unclear], chucked in, and covered up, their bones [unclear] in the improvement of Front street now [in progress].'
“A second skeleton was found yesterday, unmistakably that of an Indian. Both skeletons were carried down, chucked in, and covered up.”
The casual disposal of Native remains during urban construction reflects a broader pattern of Indigenous erasure that continues to shape Seattle today. The 1876 incident foreshadows later fights over repatriation and honoring burial grounds, like the 2009 discovery of Kennewick Man. The bones under Front Street remind us that the city's foundations rest on dispossession.
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