BOTETOURT COUNTY (WSLS 10) - Botetourt County officials announced on Monday initial reports found no unmarked graves in two specified locations on the Greenfield Preston Plantation.
An archaeological review of the area was performed by the Dovetail Cultural Resource Group following concerns voiced by Shirley Lewis, who's a descendant of slaves who lived at the plantation, and the organization Friends of the Greenfield Preston Plantation. Those concerns are that Botetourt County's plans to move two historic slave quarters on the property could disturb graves that possibly exist there.
Recommended Videos
Friends of the Greenfield Preston Plantation hired its own archaeological firm, Rivanna Archaeological Services, to review Dovetail's work.
Rivanna archaeologist Steve Thompson said Dovetail performed a surface study of the area, but has not yet performed a more extensive survey using ground-penetrating radar.
The county says preparations to move the two structures should be complete by the end of the week.
No date has been set for the actual move. Botetourt County spokesman Cody Sexton said moving the buildings will depend on weather conditions.
People around the state are also pledging to join a "sit-in" protest being organized by Botetourt resident Liniel Gregory.
That protest is set to be held the day the county plans to move the structures.
One historian in Montgomery County says she plans to recruit people in her area to join to the cause.
"There's been other people from all around the state and elsewhere who look to this as a very important, just a precedent being set. So in order to really understand it, you need more voices, you need all of Virginia to speak up," said historian April Danner.