Subdivision replanned around tribal grave

? The unmarked grave of a Delaware tribal chief has forced developers to rethink the layout of a Piper subdivision.

The burial site of Chief Neconhecon, assistant chief of the Kansas Delaware Tribe and head of the Wolf Clan in the mid-19th century, is nestled inside 34 acres slated for the Delaware Ridge subdivision.

The grave was designated a historical landmark in 1982 and is protected by the Kansas State Historical Society Preservation Act. The designation left Northgate Homes, the developer, to make a decision whether to continue with the project.

“We’re going to put up a monument to the site, make it a tourist attraction,” said Don Budd, member of the Northgate partnership.

Northgate also has proposed a buffer area around the grave to protect the site.

Two people came forward in April when developers sought a zoning change needed to allow the development to move forward. Landowners Ron and Sharon Fagan opposed the change, claiming Northgate had not accounted for a publicly listed grave in their plan.