**PETITION TO HALT GROUND DISTURBANCE AND PROTECT HISTORIC BURIAL GROUNDS 

Hudson Rd & Buffalo Rd — Lawrenceburg, Tennessee**

We, the undersigned residents, landowners, and community members of Lawrence County, Tennessee, petition for an immediate halt to all digging, excavation, grading, or soil disturbance at and around Hudson Road and Buffalo Road.

This area contains documented Civil War activity, Native American presence, and witness trees that predate modern settlement. Adjacent landowners have recovered Civil War horseshoes, farrier-marked shoes, unused lead, and hollow‑base bullets, as well as Native-era seasonal camp evidence, all consistent with historically sensitive ground.

Why This Area Must Be Protected
1. Likelihood of Native American Burials
The terrain includes elevated ridges, creek-adjacent terraces, and undisturbed tree clusters—patterns consistent with traditional Native burial practices. Under federal law, including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), disturbing Native remains or funerary objects is strictly prohibited.

2. Civil War Burial and Activity Zones
The land shows clear signs of cavalry movement, farrier work, and encampment. Civil War burials—if present—are protected under state and federal historic preservation laws.

3. Presence of Witness Trees
Large, centuries-old oak and maple trees on and adjacent to the site are historically significant and may mark boundaries, camps, or burial areas. Removing or disturbing these trees destroys irreplaceable historical evidence.

4. Environmental and Cultural Stewardship
The land includes four ponds, a crayfish-fed creek, and a double-bowl landform that has remained largely undisturbed for generations. Excavation threatens ecological stability and erases cultural history that belongs to the entire community.

Our Request
We respectfully demand:

An immediate stop-work order on all digging, grading, or soil disturbance.
A formal archaeological assessment by qualified professionals before any further ground disturbance is permitted.
Notification to the Tennessee Division of Archaeology and relevant tribal representatives.
Protection of all potential burial zones, witness trees, and historic features until proper evaluation is complete.
Transparency from any developers, landowners, or agencies involved in planned work.
Why This Matters
Once a grave is disturbed, a witness tree cut, or a historic layer destroyed, it can never be restored. This land holds the stories of Native families, Civil War soldiers, and the early people who shaped Lawrence County. We have a moral, legal, and spiritual responsibility to protect it.

We Stand for Stewardship
By signing this petition, we affirm that:

History is not a resource to be bulldozed.
Burial grounds—Native or Civil War—are sacred.
Lawrence County must honor its past while planning its future.
We call on county officials, state agencies, and all responsible parties to act immediately.