Manhattan, NY – 18th-Century Ship Found Below World Trade Center Site

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    On Wednesday, archaeologists examined the remains of a wooden ship found at the World Trade Center site.Manhattan, NY – On Tuesday morning, workers excavating the site of the underground vehicle security center for the future World Trade Center hit a row of sturdy, upright wood timbers, regularly spaced, sticking out of a briny gray muck flecked with oyster shells.

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    Obviously, these were more than just remnants of the wooden cribbing used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to extend the shoreline of Manhattan Island ever farther into the Hudson River. (Lower Manhattan real estate was a precious commodity even then.)

    “They were so perfectly contoured that they were clearly part of a ship,” said A. Michael Pappalardo, an archaeologist with the firm AKRF, which is working for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to document historical material uncovered during construction.

    By Wednesday, the outlines made it plain: a 30-foot length of a wood-hulled vessel had been discovered about 20 to 30 feet below street level on the World Trade Center site, the first such large-scale archaeological find along the Manhattan waterfront since 1982, when an 18th-century cargo ship came to light at 175 Water Street.

    The area under excavation, between Liberty and Cedar Streets, had not been dug out for the original trade center. The vessel, presumably dating from the mid- to late 1700s, was evidently undisturbed more than 200 years.

    News of the find spread quickly. Archaeologists and officials hurried to the site, not only because of the magnitude of the discovery but because construction work could not be interrupted and because the timber, no longer safe in its cocoon of ooze, began deteriorating as soon as it was exposed to air.

    For that reason, Doug Mackey, the chief regional archaeologist for the New York State Historic Preservation Office, was grateful for the rainfall. “If the sun had been out,” he said, “the wood would already have started to fall apart.”

    As other archaeologists scrambled with tape measures over what appeared to be the floor planks of the ship’s lowermost deck, Mr. Mackey said, “We’re trying to record it as quickly as possible and do the analysis later.” All around the skeletal hull, excavation for the security center proceeded, changing the muddy terrain every few minutes.

    Romantics may conjure the picture of an elegant schooner passing in sight of the spire of Trinity Church. Professional archaeologists are much more reserved.

    They were even careful not to say for certain whether they were looking at the prow or the stern of the vessel, though the fanlike array of beams seemed to suggest that the aft (rear) portion of the ship was exposed. Mr. Pappalardo said the whole vessel may have been two or three times longer than the portion found.

    Perhaps the most puzzling and intriguing find was a semicircular metal collar, several feet across, apparently supported on a brick base, built into the hull. Perhaps it was some sort of an oven or steam contraption.

    About the farthest Mr. Mackey and Mr. Pappalardo would go in conjecture was to say that the sawed-off beams seemed to indicate that the hull had deliberately been truncated, most likely to be used as landfill material.

    A 1797 map shows that the excavation site is close to where Lindsey’s Wharf and Lake’s Wharf once projected into the Hudson. So, no matter how many mysteries now surround the vessel, it may turn out that the ghost even has a name.


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    19 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    And a 100+story skyscraper sat on top of it for ~30 years.

    Meir
    Meir
    13 years ago

    Oh no – the charedim will start demonstrating against the digging in NY too

    5T Resident
    5T Resident
    13 years ago

    If a 200 year old ship can be found under the WTC site, imagine what lies beneath the Har Habayis……

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    With this type of support, no wonder it come down this fast.

    Askupeh
    Askupeh
    13 years ago

    I remember hearing or reading that when the Twin towers were built they found a ships anchor while digging. Maybe that anchor belonged to this ship.

    How do they know that this ship was built between 1750 and 1799, maybe it was built in 1650 or in 1850? What is it based on?

    If they want to speculate, they can speculate that this was a slave ship because their was a slave market nearby.

    I love when they find a peace of wood anywhere in the world they already know who, what, and where. All you need is a good imagination, spectacles on the tip of your nose, and speak with authority.

    Paskunyak
    Paskunyak
    13 years ago

    They found Noiach’s Teyvah! Any animals left aboard?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    How did the ship get there ?????

    Sonia
    Sonia
    13 years ago

    Agree with Askupeh. They need to examine the wood because they can reach to conclusions.

    Isnt it funny???
    Isnt it funny???
    13 years ago

    Isnt it funny when they make a big deal here in the USA about finding something about 300 years old when in EY they find things 2000+ years old & they don’t make as big a deal about it??

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I’m so excited that this has happened I love history and I can’t wait to read more about this ship in the future and hopefully it continues on with research.

    t s
    t s
    13 years ago

    this is columbus’ boat. he came to america, new york, parked his ship and went sight seeing. when he came back, the cops had ticketed his ship and placed an anchor on it. having spent all his money on souvenirs, he decided to just stay… and the rest is history.

    Greg
    Greg
    13 years ago

    i would like to see pictures of this thing and learn more history on this because it seems very interesting.but as far as the twin towers i would build them over to show are enemy`s that we can get over stuff.

    Bre
    Bre
    13 years ago

    #13 … that is because the USA is a fairly ‘new’ country, whereas EY is ancient. If this ship is 200-300 yrs old that’s around only 300 years after America was first discovered. So for the US to make a big deal out of it, well why not? And Askupeh, people spend their lives studying this stuff… they know how to examine and what to look for to specify age and origin of such things. I think it’s soooo neat!