The Binghamton City School District says human remains were discovered during renovation work at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School on the city’s North Side.
According to the district, workers stopped activity in the affected area and officials immediately contacted the New York State Historic Preservation Office. Binghamton University archaeologists and a specialist are now involved in the effort to excavate, analyze and respectfully relocate the remains.
District officials said required reviews of the school property had been completed before construction began. Ground-penetrating radar did not identify headstones or caskets at the site. Officials believe construction performed in the early 1900s and again in the late 1960s may have disturbed or moved the remains before the current project began.
The district has also contacted descendants of the Bevier family as specialists work to determine the appropriate next steps and arrange a respectful final resting place. No timetable for completing that work was announced.
The discovery comes during a major renovation of Roosevelt Elementary. The district broke ground on the project in June and temporarily relocated most students and staff for the 2026-27 school year. The renovation is expected to modernize the North Side school and return students to the building after construction is complete.
