War of 1812 soldier’s remains unearthed in Burlington

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Human remains discovered in Burlington have been identified as some of Vermont’s first war veterans.

Archaeologists have been digging for a few days now at a site in Burlington where construction crews doing a home improvement project discovered what appeared to be bones.

The team UVM team has now identified the remains of one body, a soldier from the War of 1812, and officials say they could easily find up to a half-dozen more.

John Crock, a UVM archeology professor and director of the UVM Consulting Archaeology Program, says the discovery will lead to a greater understanding of Vermont’s role in the three-year-long conflict between Great Britain and the U.S., and the lives of those who came -- and fought -- before us.

“Our goal is to -- as quickly as possible -- exhume the remains, documenting where they were found and what was included with them, and then study them briefly. And ultimately, they will be re-buried,” Crock said.

Crock says additional information, including where the remains were found, will be shared with the public once excavation operations have ended.

Remains of War of 1812 dead have previously been found in 2002 and 2006 in Burlington’s Old North End.

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