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Smithsonian Analysis of Bones at Norfolk
(For more Norfolk geography tidbits, click here.)
"Washington D.C., April 24th 1905
Prof. Wm. H. Holmes, Chief Bureau of Ethnology [Smithsonian Institution]
My Dear Sir,
"In accordance with your instructions I left Washington on Friday afternoon the 21st of April, at six thirty P.M. on the Norfolk boat and arrived in Norfolk Saturday morning at 7A.M. and immediately began the investigation of the report published in the Norfolk Pilot of the 13th instant concerning the finding of hundreds of human skeletons at Pine Beach, Va.  I first found a son of Major Irvine who was said to have numerous arrowheads and was informed by him that Maj. Irvine had some which had been given him as coming from Pine beach. I was referred to a Mr. David Lowenburg [chief financial backer for the Jamestown Exposition] who was said to be interested in the improvements at pine beach for further information; he not being in, I inquired of his office and was told by an attendant that I had better see Contractor Backus who had charge of the excavations at Pine beach. I took the next car at 10:30 and arrived at eleven and found Mr. Backus. Telling him of my errand he informed me that certain human bones had been exhumed on the point, but that the Newspaper correspondent had greatly exagerrated the matter and further told me that Sunday before the last some persons had gone to the spot and taken the balance of the bones away that had not been removed in grading, but that he would show me the spot where the bones had been unearthed...."
(letter from the Smithsonian Institution)
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