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Ancient cemetery in path
of project
The developer of the Four Seasons on Kent Island project is studying a century-old graveyard on the 561-acre property off Castle Marina Road. Most likely, K. Hovnanian Cos. will build around the cemetery and leave it alone, said Timothy L. Bishop, director of land acquisition and development for the company's Maryland office. "We are aware of it. We found it while doing our surveys and we've got a consultant studying it," Mr. Bishop said. At least six gravestones are clustered on the former Bell farm property near Macum Creek in Chester. The birth date on one is 1829. The graves are located in a section of the property that is planned for the final stage of the 1,350-home community's development, which has a seven-year buildout plan. "We haven't done much research into the graveyard yet because it is located in the last section to be developed," Mr. Bishop said. Chester resident Linda Zwobota on March 8 sent a letter and pictures of the graves to the county Board of Commissioners to make sure they were aware of the graveyard. "I have not heard any disclosures (from K. Hovnanian) about a cemetery on the Bell property," she said. She said because the graves are so old, there could be other graves in the area that had wooden crosses marking them that have since decayed. K. Hovnanian has hired a archaeological firm for the study on the history, age and size of the graveyard. "We have to determine the boundaries of this thing. Once we know what is there, we will begin looking into it to handle it, but basically it's up to the Maryland Historical Trust," Mr. Bishop said. "There are provisions and restraints controlling how developers must handle things like this." Published March 21, 2001,
The
Capital, Annapolis, Md.
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