Digging Deeper Without the Trowel

Using Non-Invasive Methods of Archaeology to Preserve a Historic Era Cemetery

Presenter: Rene Rodriguez

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 22-23

Semester: Spring

Faculty Mentor: Alexis Boutin

Department: Anthropology

Funding Source/Sponsor: McNair

Abstract:
This research project aims to study how non-invasive methods of archaeology can be used to memorialize the history of the Sonoma Developmental Center. Located in Eldrige, a small town in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Developmental Center(SDC) opened its doors in 1891 to thousands of people many of whom would be described as having developmental disabilities. Located on the SDC’s property is the Eldridge cemetery which operated from the opening of the center until the late 1960s. The cemetery holds the remains of over 1400 individuals who were housed in the developmental center. The Eldridge Cemetery represents the graves of the diverse communities that the center was servicing. The SDC has a polarizing history regarding its treatment of minority communities. While the center provided a variety of services for its patients, its medical practices were reflective of the treatment of minorities in the late 19th to early 20th century. Within the communities of peoples with disabilities, the demographic of the patients included people from communities of color, low income communities and people who lived outside of traditional social norms. These minority groups would fall victim to inhumane medical practices of the time like forced sterilization. The previous treatment of people on the SDC property has significantly contributed to the polarizing nature of memorialization. The history of the SDC and the Eldridge cemetery generate archaeological significance. Because of the SDCs political nature, non invasive practices like Geographic Information Systems and surface surveys became a priority to memorialize the SDC.