Native Americans Protest Hearthside Homes Desecration of Ancient Cemetery at Brightwater

With recent reports of over 170 buried human remains dug up and stored in trailers on site, along with the removal of thousands of ancient artifacts, Native Americans and their supporters have started demonstrating their outrage. Every Wednesday night from 5 PM to 6PM at the corner of Bolsa Chica Road and Warner Ave in Huntington Beach there is an informational protest.







There has also been recent evidence uncovered that demonstrates Hearthside Homes withheld information about the human remains from the California Coastal Commission. In addition to demonstrating, the group has filed for a revocation hearing with the California Coastal Commission in an attempt to stop the desecration of the cemetery of their ancestors.

Wall of Death Surrounds Sacred Cemetery

Scene near the cemetery at Brightwater. Over 4,000 artifacts, and over 170 human remains were removed from this area so Hearthside Homes can build on the site of a Native American cemetery. It is maddening that the Coastal Act and other laws don't adequately protect sites sacred to Native people. 

You may remember from earlier posts about the 4,400 foot long glass wall surrounding the Brightwater development by Hearthside Homes at Bolsa Chica. The wall is a killer of birds and has been dubbed "The Wall of Death". Now it has been revealed that over 170 ancient human remains have been removed from the site, and while some have been reburied, 87 are stuffed into trailers awaiting re-internment.
Those of us in the Land Trust knew that ORA 83, the archeological site the developer has destroyed had a cemetery within it. However, we did not know the extent of it, nor did the Native American Heritage Commission, until a very late report was sent to them in December by the archeological firm SRS. The firm should have been reporting the discovery of human remains to the commission and the Orange County coroner, but failed to do so.
Huntington Beach Independent columnist Chris Epting has an excellent account of the stonewalling by the developer. You can read it by clicking here. The Orange County Register also has an article about the human remains here.
There is also a front page article in the Independent about the cover up of the human remains here
The Huntington Beach Independent also published an editorial requesting answers from the developer. Check it out here.
Ed Mountford and Hearthside it seems have learned nothing in the years of trying to develop this property. They have what is probably the most valuable piece of land approved for development on the coast in Orange County, but through one mis-step after another have received nothing but negative publicity about the development. One would think they would know the public would be watching since the project was so controversial, and so many of us care so deeply about Bolsa Chica.