Construction crews working at North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s residence in Bismarck uncover seven coffins containing human remains near the governor’s property, according to reports from multiple outlets.
The discovery occurs during a security upgrade project at the official residence, after workers digging in May 2026 find human remains and coffin-related material. State authorities pause work in the immediate area and bring in archaeologists from the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Officials later report that preliminary examinations identify remains including men, women, teenage boys, and a toddler, and that an additional unidentified wooden box is recovered. The state Office of Management and Budget says initial findings suggested multiple additional burial-related anomalies.
The finding is linked to the site’s earlier use as Bismarck’s first community cemetery in the 1870s. One outlet reports the cemetery was moved during the city’s early settlement period, while another notes authorities had believed the graves were relocated to other cemeteries in later decades. Additional research and analysis are ongoing.
