The old tombstone unearthed last week during excavation for Washington Square Park Phase II has been revealed by the Parks Department. City Room reports the three-foot-tall sandstone marker's inscription reads, "Here lies the body of James Jackson who departed this life the 22nd day of September 1799 aged 28 years native of the county of Kildare Ireland." It's the first found in the area, which served as a burial ground for some 20,000 people of more modest, less-headstoney means. Workers then dug deeper and uncovered James Jackson's skeleton, which sprung to life and immediately voiced strong concerns about the park's new benches.
· Gravestone From 1799 Is Found in Washington Square Park [City Room]
· Washington Square Park Ghost Story [Curbed]
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