Forgotten Grave Discovered

Workers excavating for a new retaining wall in Deadwood's Presidential District this morning unearthed what could be one of the city's first burials.

Shortly before 9:30 a.m., a crew using a backhoe on the corner of Jackson and Taylor Streets spotted what appeared to be a human skull embedded in the hillside. Terri Bruce, an archaeologist who was monitoring the digging, confirmed the find and ordered a halt to the construction work.

It's the first time that Bruce, who works for the South Dakota State Archaeological Research Center, has personally observed the discovery of human remains while monitoring an excavation. Nevertheless, she wasn't surprised.

"We were watching carefully, because we knew this was the old Ingleside Cemetery," Bruce explained.