A half-acre Native American burial site in Newlin Township is returning to its “rightful owners” after previous owner Carol McCloskey closed a $1 deal with the Delaware Nation in Anadarko, Okla., writes Frank Kummer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

McCloskey first purchased the land in 1987. As the only officially recognized Native American burial ground in Chester County, she wanted to donate it to a credible group affiliated with the area.

McCloskey worked with the Chester County History Center, Natural Lands, and two federal tribes to identify the rightful owners. 

The Delaware Nation, also known as the Lenape, accepted the offer late last year after careful consideration. While currently based in Oklahoma due to their forced migration, the Lenape were once prominent in the Brandywine region. 

The knoll is a site of several Native American graves that were decimated in the late 1800s. 

Despite initial hesitation from the Delaware Nation, the deal was closed in February with a deed recorded in March. 

“I find peace in knowing that the land will always belong to its rightful owners,” said McCloskey. “I knew that this day would come, but I had no idea how long it would take.”

Read more about the land in the Philadelphia Inquirer.