The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe of Washington is set to meet with state and federal officials to discuss the future of a tribal village threatened by a massive construction project.

More than 260 full skeletons and about 700 partial skeleton have been recovered at Tse-whit-zen, a village that was occupied up until the early 1900s. The site is more than 1,700 years old and is one of the most comprehensive finds in the Pacific Northwest.

The tribe has been working with the state to excavate the village. Construction of a $300 million bridge-replacement project has been on hold for nearly a year.

The state says it is time to resume work on the delayed project but the tribe objects. In a preliminary decision, the Federal Highway Administration sided with the state and excavation doesn't need to continue.

The FHA will make a final decision after accepting comments from the tribe, the state and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Get the Story:
Search for remains at old village site may be over (AP 11/29)
Port Angeles: Sides to sit down to discuss graving yard vs. Tse-whit-zen this week (The Peninsula Daily News 11/28)
Port Angeles: Federal official tells state, tribe to talk some more over graving yard archeological dig (The Peninsula Daily News 11/25)
State wins federal backing on Hood Canal Bridge project (The Seattle Times 11/25)
Tribal burial ground threatened by bridge project (KING 5 News 11/25)
pwpwd

Related Stories:
Construction at tribal burial site still in dispute (11/18)
Washington tribe wants work stopped at bridge site (10/08)
Discovery of village strains Washington tribe (07/28)
Klallam village in Washington larger than expected (7/23)
Klallam village in Washington called significant find (07/14)
Washington tribe helping with removal of remains (04/20)
State to pay for reburial of Klallam ancestors (04/13)
Wash. tribe to sign agreement for reburial of ancestors (03/16)
Tribal remains used as landfill at mill site (11/07)
Wash. negotiating with tribe on handling of remains (10/15)
State, tribe mum on discovery of remains at worksite (09/12)