Graves Found by Highway in Campbell County
By Luke E Saladin, Kentucky Post-February 21, 2002
"State highway officials got a big surprise recently while performing environmental studies in preparing for the widening of U.S. 27 in Grants Lick in Campbell County. Near the intersection of U.S. 27 and Kentucky 154, just south of the Fairlane Baptist Church, crews discovered a cemetery with six graves and possibly more.
The discovery is not expected to slow down the U.S. 27 project, since the portion where the graves are located isn't scheduled to be widened for another two years. Although the origin of the graves remains a mystery, preservation officers and highway officials do have some leads.
The first deed on record for the property was issued in 1804 to James Taylor, who was one of Campbell County's first settlers and owned about 1000 acres in the area. The current owner, the Darlington family, has owned the land since the 1860s and members say they have no idea who the graves belong to. 'There could be as many as 20 graves, but we really won't know until we start digging' said Richard Guidi, branch manager for pre-construction in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
Despite publishing a state required advertisement seeking relatives of those buried in the graves, no descendants have come forward. The state went a step further this week by mailing and faxing out press releases seeking information about the graves. Officials say they would honor a request by family members of those buried in the spot not to move the graves.
If no descendants are found, Guidi said the state hopes to have the graves removed within three months. In the meantime tow of the graves will be carefully excavated before their contents are sent to Frankfort for review by the state historic preservation office. If the graves show signs of historical significance, the same care will be taken with the remaining graves. If studies show nothing unusual, the remaining graves will be relocated to a cemetery following guidelines established by the state.
The intricate procedure highlights increased efforts by the state in the last five years to deal with unmarked graves as potential archaeological resources. 'We are starting to look at graves with more of a historical perspective' said David Pollack, staff archaeologist with the Kentucky Heritage Council, which oversees such procedures. Pollack said anything from clothing to actual bones can help determine if the graves have historical significance. Generally the older the graves, the more significant, he said.
'From the bones, we can determine ethnicity and find out whether the graves belong to Native Americans or some other group, such as slaves. But these initiatives are very new. We're still learning as we go.' said Pollack.