MONROE - A Public Works crew from the City of Monroe unearthed some history Thursday afternoon.
While digging a trench to widen the driveway on the north side of the Behring Senior Center of Monroe, a back hoe scraped against what at first was thought to be a rock.
The rock turned out to be a headstone from the 1850s. Director of Public Works Kelley Finkenbinder said the stone was in two pieces and was about 18 inches wide and 30 inches tall.
Green County Genealogical Society President Donna Kjendlie said the site where the senior center sits, formerly the Green County Normal School, was the site of the city's original cemetery in the mid-1850s.
"It often happens that all the bodies of a cemetery are moved, but some stones are left behind," Kjendlie said.
Finkenbinder contacted the Wisconsin Historical Society, which had records of the cemetery being moved. Finkenbinder said there was no grave found.
On advice from the historical society, the trench will be filled and paved over. The spot on the western end of the trench where the headstone was found will be filled in and seeded with grass. Finkenbinder said the headstone will remain where it was found.
"It's not going to affect the project at all," Finkenbinder said.
While digging a trench to widen the driveway on the north side of the Behring Senior Center of Monroe, a back hoe scraped against what at first was thought to be a rock.
The rock turned out to be a headstone from the 1850s. Director of Public Works Kelley Finkenbinder said the stone was in two pieces and was about 18 inches wide and 30 inches tall.
Green County Genealogical Society President Donna Kjendlie said the site where the senior center sits, formerly the Green County Normal School, was the site of the city's original cemetery in the mid-1850s.
"It often happens that all the bodies of a cemetery are moved, but some stones are left behind," Kjendlie said.
Finkenbinder contacted the Wisconsin Historical Society, which had records of the cemetery being moved. Finkenbinder said there was no grave found.
On advice from the historical society, the trench will be filled and paved over. The spot on the western end of the trench where the headstone was found will be filled in and seeded with grass. Finkenbinder said the headstone will remain where it was found.
"It's not going to affect the project at all," Finkenbinder said.