What happened to the ancient Mississippian town beneath the Brentwood Library?

Much of Middle Tennessee’s important Native American history has been disturbed by development.

This has prompted listeners like Kelly Cannon to wonder what’s been lost. She asked Curious Nashville about something she’d heard about the Brentwood Library:

“A colleague recently told me that when the Brentwood Library was built remains were found of ancient Mississippian people, along with evidence of ancient mounds. Is this true? Where were the bodies moved to? Who took responsibility for the remains?”

WPLN’s Cynthia Abrams went to find the history of that site and shares the story — and its connections to other local sites, and the national movement for repatriation.

We also learn from ProPublica reporter Mary Hudetz about her reporting for "The Repatriation Project" and Tom Kunesh, who is working to protect Native American sites as president of the Tennessee Ancient Sites Conservancy.