On September 24, Dennis Heffington, an exterminator with Oasis Pest Control and Lawn Care, found several artifacts hidden under the floor of the Old Blanco County Courthouse. Heffington was hired by the Preservation Society (OBCCPS) to spray for termites, including down in the very tight crawl-space under the floors.

Not many people have crawled around under the floors, other than to run wiring, through the years; Heffington had to clear out debris before spraying, disturbing ground that others had ignored. The items found which spurred the most interest were bones, including several vertebrae. The bones were handed over to the Blanco Police Department for investigation.

Drs. Jerry Melbye and Michelle Hamilton, from the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State, visited Blanco to look the exterminator's finds.

"As soon as we saw the bones," Dr. Melbye said, "we know they were not human and that they are butchered animal bones--probably cow bones."

According to the OBCCPS, the workers who built the courthouse in 1884 and 1885 worked during the winter and probably had a campfire going to keep warm and to cook food while they built the structure.