A large archeological investigation is being carried out in a historic district at the Sioux City Railroad Museum grounds, and participants say they have found an exciting item.
Museum founder Larry Obermeyer was enthused to have the Office of the State Archeologist carrying out a dig at a portion of the grounds that marked the beginning of construction of the Milwaukee Railroad Repair Shops Terminal from 1916 to 1918.
Lead Archeologist Mike Betsinger told Siouxland Public Media on Tuesday that a dig several feet down appears to have turned up an area where the workers lived in a makeshift barracks.
“It has the highest potential to be related to the 1916 to 1918 camp,” Betsinger said.
Betsinger said this would be the first known artifact from that time. Obermeyer called it a “significant feature.”
The timing of this archaeological study holds special historical significance, coinciding with the 110th anniversary of the fall 1916 work. That kicked off an era of about 50 years where railroads held an important place in the transportation history of Sioux City.
A prior archeological dig at the railroad museum grounds took place in 2022, with some people from the University of Iowa taking part.
Thisstudy is being conducted from September 24 to October 2. We have an image of the digging, so be sure to go to our website at kwit.org.
