Charles officials talk about private burial ground discoveries

During a gravel mining operation in June 2021, contractors found the remains of six bodies in what would later become the Parklands neighborhood in White Plains.

Construction was halted and work was done to determine the scope of the burial ground. Mining plans were revised and the development faced some redesign, according to Doria Fleisher, the community engagement coordinator for Charles County.

At the June 25 meeting of the Charles County commissioners, Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) said that he had heard comments from an HOA meeting for the Blackstone community about the issue of a burial site near Lennar homes.

Collins sought a public statement for clarification due to him hearing that construction had begun on what was thought to be a burial ground for enslaved people, but Collins said that was inconsistent with what the commissioners had previously heard.

“Without a response, the presumption is that ‘OK, this really did happen,’” Collins said.

Fleisher sat down with Cathy Thompson, the assistant chief of planning, and Esther Read, the county archaeologist, on June 27 to talk candidly about how the county deals with the delicate process of when a burial site is located.

The six individuals discovered in the 2021 burial site were believed to be of European descent, Fleisher said.

“The discovery of burial grounds is not an everyday occurrence. It’s something that rarely happens,” Read said. “When it does, there are protocols we follow to make sure those burial grounds are taken care of and not disturbed.”

Read said that when burial sites are discovered, they must be reported. It is against state law to disturb burial grounds, she said.

Recovered remains go to a forensics lab in Baltimore, where they are examined to make sure that they are not related to a crime scene before they are returned to rest. It can be a lengthy process, which can take over a year, according to Read.

“If it’s an Indigenous burial ground, I contact the tribal lead,” Read said.

In the case of an Indigenous burial ground, the Maryland Historical Trust is brought in, at which point it is out of Read’s jurisdiction. The trust contacts the local tribe to determine what is best for the remains.

Fleisher inquired if there were any other notable burial grounds discovered in the county.

Read recalled a burial site discovered at an historic African American church near the African American Heritage House. Read’s crew located 75 graves.

“We actually have a pretty good existing inventory of private burial grounds,” Thompson said.

“What I would really love to see is have our citizens call in and say, ‘Hey, there’s a cemetery out behind my barn, in the field by my house,’” Read said.

The commissioners have requested a briefing on the issue of burial grounds for a future session.