Preconstruction review finds burials outside stone wall; committee is told protections expanded

Committee members reported that a Portsmouth Housing Authority preconstruction meeting identified burials outside an existing stone wall on a parcel adjacent to a development area, prompting an increase in the protected zone and a plan for archaeological supervision.

A committee member who attended the preconstruction meeting said the Housing Authority and its consultants used ground-penetrating radar and “found graves that are outside the stone wall.” The transcript shows committee members were told the PHA would extend the protected radius to 50 feet and that independent archaeological consultants would be called to supervise any work that approached that area.

The committee was also told the special parcel includes family burials associated with the Langdon family and that there is an existing marker recognizing Black history at the site. Staff noted that the African Burying Ground committee has been renamed the African Burying Ground Preservation Committee and that a prior city meeting with a staff readout is available on the city’s YouTube channel.

Committee members recommended supervisors be present on site when excavation or heavy equipment nears the protected area and asked staff to track any permit or landmark applications that could affect the site’s status.

The committee did not take a separate vote on this matter during the meeting; members requested continued monitoring and coordination with the Housing Authority and state historic-resource staff.