Building project: Church in western WI exhuming bodies from more than 100 unmarked graves

 

INDEPENDENCE, Wis. — A church in western Wisconsin is exhuming bodies from more than 100 unmarked graves as part of a building project.

The graves are on the north side of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Independence. The Leader-Telegram reports the remains will be identified as definitely as possible before being stored and reburied near their current location.

A Michigan-based company has been working with church and local authorities on the exhumations since Sept. 8. The work is expected to be completed by Oct. 2.

The church was planning to install an elevator when a couple of parishioners mentioned the unmarked graves on that side of the building.

The chairman of the church's restoration committee says the sidewalk was removed and more than 100 unmarked graves were discovered.

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