Newburgh - After remains were found at the new City of Newburgh Courthouse Construction site in late March, the City hired an archeological consulting firm, Landmark Archeology, to supervise site excavation. Additional provisions were made for the careful screening of the soil removed in order to recover any additional remains on the identified grounds where the remains originated.
City officials were notified today that three additional sets of remains were found. The New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) was notified. At present the remains have been secured and the site covered until City officials confer with SHPO and the community advisory working group. Work continues on the screening of previously removed soil, as has been directed by SHPO.
The advisory group is composed of clergy and community leaders, including members of the African American and Native American communities. They were charged with helping to develop strategies to best dignify, honor, and commemorate those who were buried at the site, as well as with reaching a consensus on the appropriate care and safe-keeping of any future remains that may be found. They are also working on developing recommendations for spiritual healing, site documentation, research and commemoration, as well as community outreach.
An African-American cemetery was once located at Route 9W and the former Broadway School . Records of the burial ground and what became of those who were interred there during construction of Route 9W and the Broadway School are minimal, but newspaper reports from 1908 indicate that bones were found during the construction of Route 9W and later, the Broadway School . The reports state arrangements were made to re-inter those found during the road construction at Woodlawn Cemetery , and those found during the construction of Broadway School at the Alms House Cemetery . It is unknown at this time how many bodies were not removed from the site.
City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane said “These finding present an opportunity for us, as a community, to come together to dignify and honor these forgotten people and this place that played an important part in our City’s history. We cannot change the past, but we can do everything possible to be sure that this time, the right thing is done.
