Historians suspected there was a cemetery outside the walls of Sutter’s Fort. Archeologist Kim Tremaine says now they finally have proof.
"I mean we figured they had to be buried somewhere but we weren’t sure where."
Construction crews working on the Sutter Medical Center expansion project unearthed the bones last week. Tremaine says they found a full, male skeleton.
"The cranium had collapsed a little bit and the pelvic area’s a little deteriorating but the bones for the most part are in pretty good shape."
She says they expect to find more skeletons at the Gold Rush era cemetery located right underneath the intersection of 28th and L Streets.
"We’re thinking that they probably were folks living here or visitors between 1839 and 1849."
Tremaine and her colleagues have also excavated a 3-pound cannon ball and several multi-colored bottles. They plan to search the area for more human remains once they get permission from the city to close part of the intersection.