TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – MacDill Air Force Base will start the new year by beginning its search for a forgotten cemetery on the base’s property.
This comes following the recent discovery of similar forgotten African-American cemeteries in the Tampa Bay area.
8 On Your Side learned in November a wooded area on the base will be the focus of the investigation.
The Air Force’s Civil Engineer Center will conduct the search in conjunction with Stone Mountain, Georiga’s New South Associates.
“If MacDill finds a cemetery, we want to make sure that we did right by those buried there, their families, and the community,” a news release read.
In January, archaeologists will begin researching several archival resources and interviewing people to see if they can determine the exact location of the site and how many people may have been buried there, as well as finding other references, maps and descriptions of the potential burial site.
Then in February, cadaver dogs will be brought out to survey the site.
“Once the surface reconnaissance and cadaver dog survey is complete, more intrusive surveying may be done to further investigate the area,” the news release read.
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