You Never Know What You Could Dig Up On The Strip In Mandan

Construction continues on Memorial Highway in Mandan, otherwise affectionately known as The Strip.

This project is supposed to continue through 2027. Yep, that's a long time and a headache for the many businesses that are situated along this stretch of highway, including ours at Townsquare Media.

As I arrived at work on Saturday morning, I noticed a gentleman in our parking lot with a clipboard, which piqued my curiosity.

He told me he was a Native American archaeologist whom the North Dakota Department of Transportation hired. 

His job was to observe the construction crews. I, of course, was wondering what exactly for. His answer made my jaw drop to the ground.

The construction crews know that if they should happen to unearth a body, they need to stop digging immediately. That's where my newfound friend, the archaeologist, would come in.

Apparently, our location and proximity to the Missouri River, along with our well-documented Native American history and population, make much of Mandan a potential burial site for Native Americans. Yep, even on the Strip.

He told me there is a definite possibility of construction crews unearthing skeletons while they are working on this project.

If that were to happen, it would be his job to move the bodies to another site for a proper burial.

Crews are certainly digging deep enough on the Strip to find bodies. I snapped some photos on Saturday morning, and some sections I would estimate are going below 6 feet.

A big piece of history right in front of our Townsquare Media building. You learn something new every day.