Ashley R. Williams, CNN
Fri, October 13, 2023
Construction workers in northeast Florida have unearthed a piece of 19th-century history buried beneath the oldest city in the United States.
Florida Department of Transportation crews were digging as part of an ongoing drainage improvement project in downtown St. Augustine on October 5 when they discovered a nearly intact vessel hidden in the dirt, the department said in a news release.
The shipwrecked boat – found more than 8 feet below ground – was fully removed and in wet storage by Wednesday, department officials said.
The fishing boat was found on State Road A1A near the Bridge of Lions in the city known as the “oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin” in the US, according to the historic city’s website.
DOT officials say they believe the vessel dates back to around the mid- to late 1800s.
“We believe the vessel may have sunk unexpectedly and, over time, was silted in,” said Greg Evans, the department’s District 2 secretary, in a statement. “That is why it was preserved so well – it was encapsulated in soil and mud, so there was no air contact for it to decay. It’s truly an incredible find.”
The transportation department contracted SEARCH (Southeastern Archaeological Research Inc.) as part of its drainage improvement project due to the historic nature of the St. Augustine area, officials said.
SEARCH, which says it has the nation’s largest maritime archaeology team, is a cultural resources management company made up of archaeologists, architectural historians, conservators and other experts.
The company sends archaeological monitors to construction sites like the one in St. Augustine where historical finds may be uncovered, according to James Delgado, the senior vice president and exploration sector leader for SEARCH’s station in Washington, DC.
Archaeologists Dr. Sam Turner (left) and Dr. James Delgado slide a bottom rib from its socket in the centerboard trunk of the ship. - Daniel Fiore/SEARCH, Inc./Florida Department of Transportation
Sam Turner, a principal investigator and maritime archaeological expert for SEARCH, was on site when the tip of an excavator bucket digging in the trench exposed the water-soaked wood of the unexpected discovery, Delgado said in an email to CNN.
“Sam asked the operator to stop, got into the hole and gently scraped with his trowel to reveal a gently curving outline of what he immediately identified as the edge of the hull, with a displaced piece of timber from a frame,” Delgado said.
Delgado, whose archaeological experience includes working with buried ship excavations, joined Turner in Florida to recover the historic vessel.
“Detailed hand mapping and measurement was done, but the main focus was measurable, three-dimensional photo-modeling of all major construction features as well as measured photomosaics of the hull throughout the careful excavation and disassembly of the vessel,” Delgado said.
“We used water and gentle troweling and gloved hands to wash and brush off the mud to expose the fragile wood,” he added.
Investigators believe the flat-bottomed boat, possibly made of soft wood such as pine and cedar, was originally about 28 feet long. It measured 19 feet in length when it was found, according to Delgado.
“The stern was missing when exposed by the excavation, consumed by marine organisms long ago,” he said, describing it as a well-built boat possibly constructed by “the people who owned and worked it.”
SEARCH experts say the boat may have been abandoned near the end of its working life on what were once the banks of a local river and bay.
Aerial imagery shows the site where archaeologists recovered an 19th-century ship in Florida. - Daniel Fiore/SEARCH, Inc./Florida Department of Transportation
It was likely buried for “as much as a century” before crews found it, Delgado said.
“Many waterfronts that have changed over time through landfill have buried boats and ships,” he said. “That being said, these are still rare finds in the world of maritime archaeology.”
Before the boat is relocated to a permanent home, the next step is to stabilize the vessel, according to Ian Pawn, Florida DOT District 2 cultural resources manager.
“When an object this well-preserved is discovered in wet conditions, archaeologists have to work quickly as the drying of wood will begin the decaying process,” Pawn said in a statement.
“The pieces will be observed in wet storage to stabilize as we determine future preservation efforts,” he said.
A Florida construction crew found a 19th-century boat buried 8 feet underground next to a mini-golf course
Fri, October 13, 2023
Construction workers in northeast Florida have unearthed a piece of 19th-century history buried beneath the oldest city in the United States.
Florida Department of Transportation crews were digging as part of an ongoing drainage improvement project in downtown St. Augustine on October 5 when they discovered a nearly intact vessel hidden in the dirt, the department said in a news release.
The shipwrecked boat – found more than 8 feet below ground – was fully removed and in wet storage by Wednesday, department officials said.
The fishing boat was found on State Road A1A near the Bridge of Lions in the city known as the “oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin” in the US, according to the historic city’s website.
DOT officials say they believe the vessel dates back to around the mid- to late 1800s.
“We believe the vessel may have sunk unexpectedly and, over time, was silted in,” said Greg Evans, the department’s District 2 secretary, in a statement. “That is why it was preserved so well – it was encapsulated in soil and mud, so there was no air contact for it to decay. It’s truly an incredible find.”
The transportation department contracted SEARCH (Southeastern Archaeological Research Inc.) as part of its drainage improvement project due to the historic nature of the St. Augustine area, officials said.
SEARCH, which says it has the nation’s largest maritime archaeology team, is a cultural resources management company made up of archaeologists, architectural historians, conservators and other experts.
The company sends archaeological monitors to construction sites like the one in St. Augustine where historical finds may be uncovered, according to James Delgado, the senior vice president and exploration sector leader for SEARCH’s station in Washington, DC.
Archaeologists Dr. Sam Turner (left) and Dr. James Delgado slide a bottom rib from its socket in the centerboard trunk of the ship. - Daniel Fiore/SEARCH, Inc./Florida Department of Transportation
Sam Turner, a principal investigator and maritime archaeological expert for SEARCH, was on site when the tip of an excavator bucket digging in the trench exposed the water-soaked wood of the unexpected discovery, Delgado said in an email to CNN.
“Sam asked the operator to stop, got into the hole and gently scraped with his trowel to reveal a gently curving outline of what he immediately identified as the edge of the hull, with a displaced piece of timber from a frame,” Delgado said.
Delgado, whose archaeological experience includes working with buried ship excavations, joined Turner in Florida to recover the historic vessel.
“Detailed hand mapping and measurement was done, but the main focus was measurable, three-dimensional photo-modeling of all major construction features as well as measured photomosaics of the hull throughout the careful excavation and disassembly of the vessel,” Delgado said.
“We used water and gentle troweling and gloved hands to wash and brush off the mud to expose the fragile wood,” he added.
Investigators believe the flat-bottomed boat, possibly made of soft wood such as pine and cedar, was originally about 28 feet long. It measured 19 feet in length when it was found, according to Delgado.
“The stern was missing when exposed by the excavation, consumed by marine organisms long ago,” he said, describing it as a well-built boat possibly constructed by “the people who owned and worked it.”
SEARCH experts say the boat may have been abandoned near the end of its working life on what were once the banks of a local river and bay.
Aerial imagery shows the site where archaeologists recovered an 19th-century ship in Florida. - Daniel Fiore/SEARCH, Inc./Florida Department of Transportation
It was likely buried for “as much as a century” before crews found it, Delgado said.
“Many waterfronts that have changed over time through landfill have buried boats and ships,” he said. “That being said, these are still rare finds in the world of maritime archaeology.”
Before the boat is relocated to a permanent home, the next step is to stabilize the vessel, according to Ian Pawn, Florida DOT District 2 cultural resources manager.
“When an object this well-preserved is discovered in wet conditions, archaeologists have to work quickly as the drying of wood will begin the decaying process,” Pawn said in a statement.
“The pieces will be observed in wet storage to stabilize as we determine future preservation efforts,” he said.
A Florida construction crew found a 19th-century boat buried 8 feet underground next to a mini-golf course
Grace Eliza Goodwin
Wed, October 18, 2023
Crews had to remove layers of mud to expose the full boat.
Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
Florida road workers unearthed a 19th century ship while digging up a road next to a mini-golf course.
The fishing vessel was almost completely intact and impeccably preserved in mud and soil.
It was found near the banks of the Matanzas River in St. Augustine, Florida.
A Florida Department of Transportation crew digging a trench for a sewage line near a mini-golf course made a surprise discovery: a nearly-intact fishing boat believed to be from the mid to late 1800s, the agency said in a press release.
The wooden vessel was found 8 feet underground in St. Augustine, near the bank of the Matanzas River and right next to a mini-golf course and a tourist attraction that offers pirate-themed boat rides for kids.
An aerial view of where the excavation of the ship next to a mini golf course.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
St. Augustine, a small town with a population of about 15,000 people, is the "oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin" in the US, dating back to 1565, according to the town's website.
Greg Evans, the secretary of the local district, said in a press release that the DOT is always on the lookout for potential historical finds since the town is so old.
A wooden handle and the remains of a leather shoe found in the wreck are mixed with shells and sediment.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
An archeological firm called SEARCH was hired to carry out the excavation process, which unearthed broken bottles, shoes, wood fragments, and an oil-fired lantern from the shipwreck, according to the transportation department.
An oil-fired lantern found inside the wreck.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
"We believe the vessel to be a small single-masted, shallow-draft sailing craft of the 19th century that was likely used to extract fish and shellfish from coastal waterways and directly offshore," Dr. James Delgado, who led the excavation, said in SEARCH's press release.
Delgado told CNN that his team believes the boat was originally about 28 feet long, though it was 19 feet long when discovered.
The iron nails and spikes that once held the ship together were corroded by salt water over time, the transportation department said.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
"We believe the vessel may have sank unexpectedly and, over time, was silted in. That is why it was preserved so well — it was encapsulated in soil and mud, so there was no air contact for it to decay. It's truly an incredible find," Evans said in SEARCH's press release.
The transportation department said the ship will be kept in wet storage to preserve the wood and give archeologists a chance to analyze and preserve the find.
‘The first eyes to see this’: Florida workers find 19th-century shipwreck
Florida road workers unearthed a 19th century ship while digging up a road next to a mini-golf course.
The fishing vessel was almost completely intact and impeccably preserved in mud and soil.
It was found near the banks of the Matanzas River in St. Augustine, Florida.
A Florida Department of Transportation crew digging a trench for a sewage line near a mini-golf course made a surprise discovery: a nearly-intact fishing boat believed to be from the mid to late 1800s, the agency said in a press release.
The wooden vessel was found 8 feet underground in St. Augustine, near the bank of the Matanzas River and right next to a mini-golf course and a tourist attraction that offers pirate-themed boat rides for kids.
An aerial view of where the excavation of the ship next to a mini golf course.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
St. Augustine, a small town with a population of about 15,000 people, is the "oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin" in the US, dating back to 1565, according to the town's website.
Greg Evans, the secretary of the local district, said in a press release that the DOT is always on the lookout for potential historical finds since the town is so old.
A wooden handle and the remains of a leather shoe found in the wreck are mixed with shells and sediment.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
An archeological firm called SEARCH was hired to carry out the excavation process, which unearthed broken bottles, shoes, wood fragments, and an oil-fired lantern from the shipwreck, according to the transportation department.
An oil-fired lantern found inside the wreck.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
"We believe the vessel to be a small single-masted, shallow-draft sailing craft of the 19th century that was likely used to extract fish and shellfish from coastal waterways and directly offshore," Dr. James Delgado, who led the excavation, said in SEARCH's press release.
Delgado told CNN that his team believes the boat was originally about 28 feet long, though it was 19 feet long when discovered.
The iron nails and spikes that once held the ship together were corroded by salt water over time, the transportation department said.Daniel Fiore (SEARCH, Inc.) & Florida Department of Transportation, District Two
"We believe the vessel may have sank unexpectedly and, over time, was silted in. That is why it was preserved so well — it was encapsulated in soil and mud, so there was no air contact for it to decay. It's truly an incredible find," Evans said in SEARCH's press release.
The transportation department said the ship will be kept in wet storage to preserve the wood and give archeologists a chance to analyze and preserve the find.
‘The first eyes to see this’: Florida workers find 19th-century shipwreck
Gloria Oladipo
Wed, October 18, 2023
Construction crews in Florida found the remains of a 19th-century shipwreck while working on an infrastructure project in a north-eastern city.
Workers with the Florida department of transportation (FDOT) were digging throughout downtown St Augustine as part of a project to improve drainage in the city, WFLA reported.
Last week, while working on the $42m project, crews dug up the wooden remains of the historic shipwreck.
The antiquity was identified with the help of Southeastern Archaeological Research (Search), an archaeology firm that FDOT officials had subcontracted in case any discoveries were made.
James Delgado, Search’s senior vice-president, co-led the discovery of the vessel with archaeology Sam Turner, he told the Guardian.
Led by Turner and Delgado, Search’s crew took five days to recover what ultimately was the remains of a 19th century fishing boat – a “very humble but important little water craft,” Delgado said.
The excavation team used water with controlled pressure to remove mud covering the vessel, Delgado said.
“The first moment of seeing [the] little bit to seeing it systematically exposed as we worked through the different layers was, as always, fascinating because you’re the first eyes to see this,” said Delgado of the discovery process.
The recovered ship was a “small single-masted, shallow-draft” sailboat used “to extract fish and shellfish from coastal waterways and directly offshore”, said James Delgado, Search’s senior vice-president, in a statement.
During an excavation this week, Search crews recovered part of the 19th-century ship’s lower hull.
The boat’s bottom part was once approximately between 24 and 28 feet in length. Crews managed to recovery 19 feet of the vessel that remained.
Crews also found other artifacts on the boat, including the base of a kerosene lamp as well as two coconut shells that were probably used as a drinking cups, Jacksonville Today reported.
Leather shoes, probably belonging to a crew member, and 19th-century coins were also discovered amid the ship wreckage.
Greg Evans, the FDOT district 2 secretary, said in a statement the discovered vessel had been preserved well after sinking into the ground.
“It was encapsulated in soil and mud, so there was no air contact for it to decay. It’s truly an incredible find,” Evans said.
Evans also emphasized that FDOT works to preserve historical sites amid construction work.
“With every project we undertake, the Florida department of transportation is sensitive to the unique needs of the communities we serve, including the potential presence of historical sites and artifacts within construction sites,” Evans said.
“We are grateful to our partners at Search for their careful efforts to preserve this vessel, and we look forward to learning more about its significance to the region.”
For Delgado, who has been an archaeologist for 40 years, the discovery speaks to the work ethic of people who built and operated the fishing boat.
“It was more than just the vessel itself. It was this reminder of everyday people,” Delgado said.
“What it speaks to is the reality of life for so many people, then as well as now. You get up, you go to work, and you make a living to put food on the table. You work hard,” he said.
The discovery within St Augustine makes sense, given the city’s historic legacy.
Founded in 1565, St Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in the US, established decades before the English colonized Jamestown.
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