SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Cremated and forgotten, their remains became a symbol of Oregon’s — and the nation’s — dark history of treating the mentally ill. A two-year research effort is now shining a light on the 3,500 people whose ashes were discovered at the Oregon State Hospital.
Here’s a look at the research by the numbers:
WHO THEY WERE:
Urns present: 3,447
Remains claimed since 2005: 183
Native Americans to be repatriated: 21
Veterans: 110
— Potentially eligible for military burial: 88
Babies: 6
Oldest ashes present: Date of death Jan. 13, 1914
Most recent ashes present: Date of death June 22, 1971
WHERE THEY WERE BORN:
States: 48, plus the District of Columbia
Most common states: Oregon, 539; Illinois, 165; Iowa, 157
Countries: 44
Most common countries: Sweden, 131; Germany, 129; Finland, 116
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