The following release was made by Ahtna, Inc. on May 22, 2024 regarding discovery of burial sites found under the O'Brien Creek to Haley Creek trail. Their original post on Facebook may be found here.
Ahtna, Incorporated
***Copper River Road Closure Due to Discovery of Ancestral Burial Sites***
The State of Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT) has temporarily closed the Copper River Road to allow the installation of a temporary bridge over and around newly discovered ancestral burial sites. These sites were found within and adjacent to the Copper River Road state right-of-way, which traverses lands privately owned by the Chitina Native Corporation.
The closure is a necessary measure to protect multiple ancestral burial sites recently identified in the O'Brien Creek area. The State of Alaska DOT, working in collaboration with the Native Village of Chitina, aims to reopen the road before the start of the dip-net fishing season.
Temporary bridges are being installed over the identified graves, ensuring the protection of these significant cultural resources. The road will remain closed until these bridges are in place. The construction crews and equipment belong to the State of Alaska DOT.
The burial sites were discovered on land owned by the Chitina Native Corporation. The ongoing discussions about the Copper River Road's status involve the State of Alaska DOT and the Native Village of Chitina. Ahtna, Inc. owns the land south of the land owned by Chitina Native Corporation. The right-of-way easement for the Copper River Road passes through both the Chitina Native Corporation's and Ahtna, Inc.'s lands.
During the summer of 2023, a collaborative effort between the State of Alaska DOT and the Native Village of Chitina led to cultural studies on the Copper River Road. These studies utilized ground-penetrating radar and sonar, uncovering 10 graves within the state right-of-way, including one directly beneath the road and another within five feet of it. Several other anomalies were detected, which may indicate dispersed skeletal remains or cultural artifacts from the road's construction.