Den Cemetery, a small but historically significant burial site in Easton, recently underwent a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey, revealing new potential burial sites and deepening the community’s understanding of its past.
Located on Aquarion property off Route 58, the site is the final resting place for Black and white residents who lived and worked in an Easton neighborhood once known as Little Egypt. It was an integrated cemetery in the 1800s, long before the civil rights movement gradually ended racial segregation of burial grounds.
While the town does not own the property, it has maintained strong relations with Aquarion, which granted access for the study. The project originated from an initiative by the Easton Cemetery Committee in partnership between the town, Aquarion, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Conservation Land Conservancy. The goal is to preserve the burial ground and possibly have it designated a historical site.
“Aquarion was open to having the ground penetrating radar conducted to better understand the site’s needs,” said Nanette DeWester, of the Easton Cemetery Committee.
The survey of the burial site was conducted by Berlin-based TerraSearch Geophysical and paid for with a $5,000 state Historic Preservation Survey and Planning grant the cemetery committee was awarded last year. TerraSearch Geophysical has conducted GPR surveys of burial grounds in several towns and cities in the state.
Prior to the survey, there were 32 known burials at Den Cemetery. However, the radar scan identified nine additional anomalies consistent with possible unmarked graves. DeWester emphasized that while the radar provides a strong indication of potential burials, “definitive confirmation would require more analysis.”
“Technology, although helpful, isn’t perfect,” DeWester said. “That’s why having experts like TerraSearch conduct the survey is a critical part of the process of interpretation.”
The Historical Society of Easton has organized a presentation of the radar findings on Tuesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at the Congregational Church Hall at 336 Westport Road. The presentation will be led by David Leslie, an archaeologist with TerraSearch Geophysical. A $10 donation is suggested to help fund maintenance and restoration efforts at Easton’s historic cemeteries. Tickets are available here.
The Cemetery Committee is now considering next steps for further preservation initiatives to ensure that Den Cemetery and the stories it holds remain a meaningful and acknowledged part of Easton’s history.
“We hope that this effort will encourage people to learn about and respect the history of Den Cemetery and the community buried there,“ said DeWester. “With the survey results in hand, the best next steps for further preservation efforts will be made in collaboration with Aquarion, DEEP and Conservation Land Conservancy.”
