Archeologists dig at Buck 'O Neil site

The construction of the new Buck O’Neil Bridge over the Missouri River near downtown Kansas City has been underway for a while now. 

Also happening at the construction site, an archeological dig, which is probably something most people don’t think about when it comes to building a new bridge.

An archeological group from MoDOT (Jefferson City) along with several specialists at Burns and McDonnell, the Kansas City-based engineering and construction firm have teamed up to scour the perimeter of the old Buck O’Neil Bridge, specifically in the areas of 5^th and Washington, and 5^th and Beardsley Rd.

This special group is looking in these locations because they believe it’s an area of where people who first settled into Kansas City, but who aren’t necessarily recognized.

“So, we’re trying to capture people that lived on the periphery, you know the people who don’t really get included in history as much, you know as the main founders of the town,” said Burns and McDonnell Senior Cultural Resource Specialist Andrew Gottsfield.

Gottsfields believes these people lived in this area well before the city streets of Kansas City were even platted out. He surmises this because some of the houses didn’t conform to the early street grids and must have been built well before the city was established.

As luck would have it, Gottsfield and his team stumbled across items such as shoes, medicine bottles, a large jug, plate fragments, soap dishes, combs and more. 

Gottsfield and his team say these early settlers had privies (outdoor bathrooms) which often were also used as trash pits. Typically, once they’re done with an item, it’s discarded or thrown into the privy. That’s where Gottsfield and his team found most of the items.

Another interesting find, a fireworks warehouse near 5^th and Washington, believed to have once stood there in the early 1900s.

The dig team discovered the location with the help of old maps obtained from the Kansas City Library. 

Crews found fragments of red brick they believe was once the floor of the building.

The overall goal of the archeological dig is to preserve any pieces of history that may have found itself buried deep beneath the surface.

“It’s a way of completing the circle, in that we’re not just completely bulldozing through everything and maybe learning something about those who lived here, that wouldn’t be in the history books,” adds Gottsfield.  

All items collected will be numbered, catalogued, and will eventually be sent to a museum. 

 

 

Schedule your monthly wellness hour

Did you know that MoDOT allows you to use one hour of sick leave a month for preventive wellness care? Employees can use this hour at their discretion for any activity that benefits wellness. 

Below are 10 ideas to make the most of your monthly wellness hours. 

1. Go for a walk.
2. Stretch or do yoga.
3. Get a massage.
4. Take an exercise class.
5. Read a book about a wellness topic. 
6. Take a nap. 
7. Grab a smoothie or tea.
8. Visit a shelter and pet puppies and kittens.
9. Sit in nature. 
10. Visit a greenhouse.
    
    

These are a few ideas. The point is to make time for ways to replenish yourself and maintain your physical and mental health. You work best when you feel best. 

Get approval from your supervisor and schedule your monthly wellness hour today. When you use your hour, code it as SLPW.

District honors Lloyd Crawford during Day of Remembrance ceremony

The Kansas City District plans to honor Lloyd Crawford during the annual Day of Remembrance at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16, outside the District Office. 

Crawford lost his life in the line of duty on June 28, 2021. Crawford served as a Maintenance Supervisor at the Platte City Maintenance Facility.

 

“Out of all the memories I have about Lloyd, what stands out most is that he loved life, and he loved his family,” Maintenance Superintendent Chris Sholl said. 

 

District administrators invited Crawford's family to the ceremony. Members of the Platte City Maintenance crew will be in attendance as well. 

 

“Safety is our number one priority,” District Engineer Chris Redline said. “We continue to mourn the loss of our MoDOT brother Lloyd Crawford. Words cannot express how much his life and legacy means to us all.”

 

Since 1932, MoDOT has lost 135 employees in the line of duty. Of those lives lost, 24 are from the Kansas City District.

 

If Crawford were alive today, Scholl said he would have a simple message for his coworkers.

 

“Go home safe,” Sholl said. “The most important thing to remember is that your family is counting on you to come home safe. Work safe. Play safe.”

 

Along with the Kansas City ceremony at 10 a.m., Central Office will livestream its Day of Remembrance Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on its memorial site.

 

Reminder: Jackson County mask mandate extended through Oct. 7

The Jackson County legislators extended the county-wide mask mandate to Oct. 7. Anyone who works in a MoDOT building within the Jackson County limits needs to wear a mask when in common indoor areas at work. 

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions regarding the mask mandate.

1. Where do you need to wear a mask?
   
   You must wear a mask in any common area, including bathrooms, hallways, break rooms and conference areas.  
   
   
2. How should the mask be worn? 
   
   Masks should cover your nose and mouth. 
   
   
3. Why do we have to wear a mask?
   
   County Executive Frank White issued a public mask mandate in August. This action came in response to the growing cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19. County Legislators extended the mask requirement in a 6-3 on Monday, Aug. 30, which will last through Oct. 7. 
   
   
4. Is this a MoDOT policy?
   
   No. MoDOT does not currently have a mask mandate. 

Tech Tip: Can you hear me now?

 

Do you need to share sound from your computer while screen sharing during a Teams Meeting?  

To share sound from your computer, select Share content   in your meeting controls and then toggle the Include computer sound.