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Enslaved Burial Ground

Another Belle Grove site undergoing further study is the enslaved burial ground. It is a fenced area two hundred yards north of the Manor House. No records have been found that indicate it was a cemetery for the enslaved but this plot has characteristics of similar burial sites of the time, it is on high ground, in an area not used for agriculture, with field stones to mark the graves (rather than headstones) and the ground is slightly sunken in areas of the burials. A report on the Ground Penetrating Radar used to study this site may be found here. These readings indicated 14 possible grave shafts. Though no written burial records exist, Hite family records of the enslaved indicate 45 died while under their ownership. It is not clear whether all these individuals could be buried at this site or whether there are additional burial grounds on the property, but a wayside at the Enslaved Burial Ground lists their names to honor their lives and memory. Read more about some of these families.