Decades before Central Park existed, a section of it was home to Seneca Village, a vibrant community of free African-Americans that took shape in the 1820s. Dozens of homes, churches, and a school were occupied by 225 people. The history of Seneca Village had been all but lost until researchers in the 1990s began focusing on maps and census records that gave hints of the past. Then, nine years ago, archaeologists discovered thousands of artifacts, including plates and personal items, that had be