CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — A major renovation project at Johnson Hagood Stadium has been partially suspended after construction crews uncovered approximately 50 sets of human remains beneath the visitor-side grandstand, according to Charleston officials.
The discovery was made during ongoing construction work tied to stadium upgrades and has prompted an immediate halt to activity in the affected area while archaeological and preservation experts assess the site. City officials say the remains are believed to be part of a much larger historic burial ground where an estimated 26,000 people were buried between the 1840s and 1920s.
Discovery Linked to Historic Burial Ground
The site’s historical significance was already known to both The Citadel and the City of Charleston. Officials say records dating back to 2004 identified the area as part of a former city burial ground. “It is on land adjacent to an area where we are aware that there were grave sites in the past,” said Robert Summerfield, Director of Planning and Preservation for the City of Charleston.
Summerfield noted that discoveries of historic remains are not uncommon in Charleston due to the city’s extensive history and development patterns. “With many areas of the peninsula and the greater Charleston area, when you have this much history and a time before a lot of designated cemeteries, we run into this unfortunately quite often,” Summerfield said.
Construction Halted Following Discovery
According to The Citadel, a contractor uncovered what appeared to be historic gravesites while completing improvements as part of the Johnson Hagood Stadium renovation project. The remains are believed to date back to the 1800s. Once the discovery was made, The Citadel immediately activated the project’s historic preservation plan, halted construction in the affected area, and coordinated with its archaeological consultant and the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office…