Over 80 potential graves remain at Savannah’s Whitefield Square, radar survey confirms

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A ground penetrating radar survey has confirmed that graves likely remain at Whitefield Square, the site of a historic burial ground that served Savannah’s enslaved and free people of color from 1763 to 1844.

The City of Savannah received the final report from The LAMAR Institute following the survey conducted in December 2025. The study was undertaken in preparation for installing a historical marker recognizing the square as the site of the burial ground known historically as the “Negro Burial Ground.”

The report identified more than 80 potential burial anomalies within Whitefield Square and two probable burial clusters where the exact number of potential graves could not be determined. The majority of these anomalies are likely either intact human burials or empty burial shafts where remains were removed and relocated in the mid-19th century.

Historical background of the burial ground

Historical maps and records indicate the burial ground served as the public cemetery for Savannah’s enslaved and free people of color from circa 1763 until 1844. A portion overlapped what is now modern-day Whitefield Square.

In 1844, the burial ground was closed due to overcrowding, and a new burial ground was established south of Gaston Street near Abercorn Street. That second site was used until 1852, when 15 acres were dedicated within Laurel Grove Cemetery “for the interment of the remains of deceased persons of color.”

In 1855, Savannah City Council authorized the City Marshal to remove remains from the “Negro Burial Ground” to Laurel Grove Cemetery. However, historical records do not specify whether removals occurred from the burial ground overlapping Whitefield Square, the burial ground near Abercorn Street, or both locations.

City plans historical marker, advisory group

Given the findings, city staff recommends that Whitefield Square be treated similarly to Colonial Park Cemetery as an inactive and historic burial ground that also serves as a passive greenspace.

The city plans to move forward through its Historical Marker Program to erect an appropriate marker or memorial. The city will convene an advisory group, facilitated by the Archives & History Officer, to prepare a recommendation for City Council.

The Park & Tree Department will also conduct a similar radar survey in Taylor Square to confirm that the historic “Strangers Burial Ground,” active from 1819-1844, did not extend into the area later developed as that square.

“This square is more than green space. It is sacred ground,” said Mayor Van Johnson. “For generations, Savannah’s enslaved and free people of color were laid to rest here. Their lives mattered. Their stories matter. And acknowledging that history is not optional — it is necessary.”

City Manager Jay Melder said the findings are an example of Savannah’s commitment to fully understanding its history and ensuring it honors and marks that history appropriately.

The report notes that only extensive archaeological excavation could definitively determine whether these anomalies represent intact burials or previously relocated graves.