Gaillard grave count shoots up to 22

Crews have found what appear to be 22 grave sites at the construction site at the Gaillard Auditorium and were looking at a possible two additional graves Thursday afternoon.

Because the graves are appearing in a noticeable “north-south” row, more are expected to be found.

Crews working at the construction site today worked in quick succession, using a track hoe to removed tons of earth before resorting to shovels and then trowels for the more ginger work.

The graves found appear as squared-off brownish- purple stains in the grown. The stains may not be decayed coffins, but could be more a reflection of the ground disturbance when the holes were opened and then filled back in.

Early estimates are that the graves pre-date 1780. No other identifying details were immediately found.

Crews began this morning expanded the dig site to a 50-foot-by-50-foot area and were searching north and south of the first two sets of remains found last week.

At some point the digging for new graves will stop today as the work shifts temporarily toward excavating and removing sets of bone remains.