St. George’s project outlines archaeological plan and burial‑permit process; applicants expect to remove and reinter about 16 individuals

St. George’s Episcopal Church representatives and their archaeological consultants briefed the Architectural Review Board on May 12 about the archaeological work associated with the church’s Open to All in Love project, including the planned removal and archaeological recovery of burials within the church cemetery that will require a Department of Historic Resources (DHR) burial permit.

Laurel Locke of St. George’s introduced the project and emphasized the congregation’s intent to treat human remains with dignity and to exceed regulatory requirements. Archaeologist Carrie Burrell Tambs (Mead & Hunt / Dovetail Cultural Resources) summarized the scope: pre‑excavation documentation of all grave markers (mapping, photography, tagging), stonemason removal and stabilization of memorials, targeted machine‑assisted probing in predetermined reinterment zones to identify vacant locations, and hand excavation under osteological supervision where burials are encountered.

Burial‑permit work will focus on three impact areas (ramp access, a proposed columbarium, and a narrow railing footprint) within an established cemetery that is also part of the church’s National Register‑listed property. The team explained how they used ground‑penetrating radar (GPR) and historic mapping to estimate likely locations; they estimated (based on mapped stones, GPR signals and historic layout) that approximately 16 individuals may require archaeological removal and documentation, with the possibility of stacked burials. The team noted GPR results in urban contexts are imperfect and that field results may vary.

Procedures described include removing stones and storing them on‑site, securing the work area from public view during excavation, employing a small (under 3‑foot bucket) smooth‑bladed track‑hoe operated by a skilled operator for initial stripping, stopping mechanical work on discovery of features and completing excavations by hand, and an osteologist conducting biological recovery. The archaeologists will place remains and associated artifacts in acid‑free materials and transport them to a local laboratory for analysis; following analysis and descendant consultation, the recovered individuals will be reinterred on‑site in identified areas where possible. The DHR will review public comments and technical materials before issuing a burial permit.

Schedule: the team plans to continue collecting descendant and public comments through the week, have stonemasons remove and stabilize headstones, and anticipate fieldwork beginning in mid‑June with archaeological work completed by mid‑July if schedule and conditions permit. The ARB was asked to note the ongoing process because the cemetery and associated features are character‑defining elements of the registered property and some ARB approvals for related site elements (ramp, columbarium, railing) will follow.

Board members and the public asked questions about where reinterment might occur, whether an osteologist is engaged (New South Associates will serve), how trees and roots would be handled, and how the public will be informed. The applicant and archaeologist said they will attempt on‑site reinterment in identified vacant locations where feasible and will keep the public informed via signage and meetings. DHR staff attended a public meeting the prior week and will consider public comments in their permitting decision.

The ARB did not take a permit action at this meeting; the board requested that applicants include the archaeological and burial‑permit outcomes in future COA submittals for the ramp, columbarium, and railing details.