Colonial Williamsburg had a community meeting Thursday to announce they have found 21 grave shafts at the site of the Historic First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of America’s oldest churches founded by free and enslaved Blacks.

by Abigail Adcox on July 16, 2021

Notes

Jack Gary, director of archaeology for Colonial Williamsburg, reported that his team has now identified 21 grave shafts and two other possible ones in the west end of the Nassau Street site. The Nassau Street site is the first physical location of First Baptist Church.

This could indicate that there are as many as 23 grave shafts on the property, but Gary cautioned that they are still expanding the area to look for more grave shafts.