Seven Coffins Unearthed at North Dakota's Governor's Mansion

Seven coffins containing human remains have been unearthed on the residence property of the North Dakota Governor's Mansion in Bismarck, turning up a buried chapter in the history of one of the state's most recognizable properties.

The area where the remains were found was once part of the Bismarck cemetery, which was in use from roughly 1873 to 1877. That places the burials in the city's earliest years, long before the current residence was built on the site. It is a reminder that land in fast-growing frontier towns was often put to new uses quickly, and that the people buried there were not always accounted for when the ground changed hands.

Historic cemeteries in young western cities were frequently abandoned, partially moved, or built over as towns expanded. Burial records from that period are often incomplete, which can make it hard to say who was buried where, even when the grounds are later identified as a former cemetery.

Details about how the remains will be examined and where they will be reinterred were not part of the initial account of the discovery. Readers following the story should watch for statements from state officials, who will likely have the final say on how the coffins are handled.