Workers extending Nash Road in Chesterfield County unearth unmarked burial site
CHESTERFIELD – Workers extending Nash Road in the county’s court house area have unearthed what appears to be a potential centuries-old burial ground, officials said Thursday.
At least one gravesite has been confirmed, and the county said the spot where it was found has been cordoned off to allow for further exploration. Experts used ground-penetrating radar to scan the area, “and have found underground anomalies that could be additional gravesites,” according to a county statement.
“We’re working with the Department of Historic Resources and project contractors to evaluate what’s there with the utmost respect and dignity,” Jesse Smith, Chesterfield’s deputy county administrator for community development, said in the statement. “We’re excited to figure this out, as it could shed additional light on the area’s history.”
Crews are working on extending Nash Road from Beach Road to Iron Bridge Road, just west of the county administration headquarters. The road is being extended due to increased traffic numbers in and around the courthouse area. Ultimately, the extension will provide a link between Iron Bridge Road – state Route 10 – and Woodpecker Road for commuters to and from Ettrick and Matoaca.
The first gravesite was uncovered May 1 when construction workers found an unmarked brick structure later determined to be a vault. Inside the vault was a thin metal placard saying that the person inside had died sometime in the mid-19th century.
When work on the road extension began, a house built atop the burial site had to be cleared. County officials said archaeological and cultural research done in the area did not show any sort of cemetery.
The discovery has not halted progress on the extension. Right now, crews are focused on building a bridge in an area easily accessible without disturbing the discovery site.
While the county said such discoveries “are rare,” they can happen when construction takes place in places that have seen centuries of human activity.
It’s not the first time that old graves have been found in the court house area.
Three decades ago when the current administration complex was being built, several burial sites were discovered. Using similar technology and research, the remains in those graves were moved to other locations.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Workers extending Chesterfield road discover burial site
