Ball State Receives $50,000 to Survey Deadman Hollow
A federal grant will fund an archaeological survey of 60 acres in Morgan-Monroe State Forest, with field work beginning in summer 2027.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Geography
Ball State University has received a $50,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology to survey 60 acres of Deadman Hollow in Morgan-Monroe State Forest. The survey will be conducted by the university's Applied Anthropology Laboratories.
Why it matters
The survey gives the property owner, the Division of Forestry, more information about its cultural resources so it can manage them. For Muncie and east-central Indiana residents, the project adds to the documented archaeological record of nearby public forest land.
The grant totals $50,000 and covers a 60-acre survey area, with shovel test pits dug every 15 meters on a grid. Locations of archaeological sites will remain confidential, and the survey's results have not yet been reported.
The players
Ball State University
A public research university in Muncie, Indiana, known for its Applied Anthropology Laboratories and archaeological research programs.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
The state agency that manages Indiana's public lands, forests, and historic preservation programs, including the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology that funded this grant.
The details
The survey will dig shovel test pits on a grid across the project area in Deadman Hollow. Historic sites already noted in the area include a house foundation, and botanical evidence includes daffodils. A June tornado damaged part of Morgan-Monroe Forest but missed the survey area.
Timeline
June (prior year): A tornado damaged part of Morgan-Monroe Forest but missed the survey area.
Summer 2027: Field work for the survey is scheduled to begin.
April 2028: The final report draft is due.
June 2028: The project is scheduled to end.
Field Context
The project extends the work of Ball State's Applied Anthropology Laboratories, which conducts cultural resource surveys on Indiana public land. The survey uses shovel test pit methods to map archaeological sites before land managers make decisions about the property.
The survey will identify archaeological sites on public forest land near Muncie, which may affect how the property is managed and where recreational activity is directed. Surveyors expect challenges from thick brush, poison ivy, and possible downed trees from strong winds.
The takeaway
Archaeological surveys on public land give managers the information they need to protect cultural resources before making land-use decisions. Residents interested in local history can follow the project's public presentations once findings are shared.
What happens next
Field work for the survey is expected to begin in summer 2027, with a final report draft due in April 2028.
Further reading
Explore more Geography coverage to see how Indiana's landscapes and public lands are studied.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Indiana Public Media.
