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Stimulus Helps Idaho Organize Road Artifacts


BOISE, Idaho - State and local governments in the Northwest have used stimulus grants to modernize and build new roads and bridges. But an Idaho state agency has found a surprising use for part of its stimulus money.

For more than 40 years, the Idaho Transportation Department has been doing little archaeological digs at the sites of new road projects. It has found some interesting things.

Marc Münch: “Arrowheads. Other stone tools. Maybe the barrel of a small revolver.”

Marc Münch is the state’s highway archaeologist. He says the agency stored thousands of found objects at its office in Boise.

Marc Münch: “You know, when you use federal funds, you have to curate your artifacts properly and stuff was boxed and labeled.”

But the boxes in a storeroom didn’t meet federal standards for curation.