Human remains found during $2.35m project at North Dakota governor’s residence

A routine security upgrade at North Dakota’s governor’s residence has opened an unexpected window into Bismarck’s past. What began as a $2.35 million project to improve fencing and access around the property turned into an archaeological investigation after construction crews uncovered human remains beneath the ground, states an online report by North Dakota Monitor. Months later, archaeologists have removed seven coffins containing human remains, along with an unidentified wooden box, after examining more than 80 areas of interest around the construction site, the report adds.A cemetery beneath modern BismarckThe discovery dates back to May, when workers installing a new fence near the governor’s residence encountered human remains. The location was once part of Bismarck’s first cemetery, which operated between 1873 and 1877. Many of the people originally buried there were later moved to St. Mary’s Cemetery and Fairview Cemetery during the 1880s.