On a recent Friday afternoon in Traverse City, Michigan, construction workers unearthed what initially appeared to be human remains beneath the pavement at Grandview Parkway near Oak Street. The discovery, made at around 4:30 p.m., led to a cessation of work and the securing of the site. CBS News Detroit reports that the Traverse City police are suggesting the bones appear to be from a pre-modern era.
Following the find, investigations conducted by authorities aimed to discern the provenance of the bones—be they linked to the original fill for Grandview Parkway, an old burial site, or other historical contexts. According to an update from the police working closely with the Michigan Department of Transportation archaeologists and Western Michigan University anthropologists, it seems likely the remains are from a time predating contemporary forensic capabilities. Meanwhile, the police confirmed that construction would indeed resume WWJ Newsradio 950 noted in their coverage.
Shedding further light on the situation, UP North Live shared insights from Shaun Miller, an archaeologist with the Michigan Department of Transportation. Miller, who rushed to the scene after the find, has worked in transportation archaeology for nearly two decades. The National Historic Preservation Act mandates his and others' involvement in such finds, as they review potential archaeological sites prior to construction projects funded by federal agencies, such as the Federal Highway Administration.
Miller emphasized the significance of their findings, which included multiple bodies and historical artifacts like pre-modern nails and wood, indicative of coffins. "This is the first time I've been called out where the bones have actually been determined to be human," Miller told UP North Live. Investigators also found items they believe to not suggest a Native American burial ground. Miller hopes that the remains will eventually join other relocated remains at Oakwood Cemetery. The site at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor had similarly yielded human remains last month.
