Three ships from the 1700s found on one block in Old Town Alexandria

[FSogol]

Fifteen feet down in the muck, mud and sand, you can reach out and touch the remains of a ship, or three, that were so worn out by 1798 that they were scuttled to help create new land for Alexandria’s thriving commercial port.

The wet wood was last dry when local resident George Washington had just retired from the presidency to nearby Mount Vernon, in a time before the invention of indoor plumbing, gas lighting or the steam locomotive.

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Specialists from Thunderbird Archaeology also have unearthed about 100,000 artifacts — the foundation of a flour mill, coins from Ireland, England, France and Spain, pieces of ceramics, bottles and animal bones.

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The ships are being kept wet, because every moment they are exposed to dry air causes deterioration, said Eleanor Breen, acting city archaeologist. The wood is soaked and covered at night. Once the original location has been documented, the timbers will be taken to a warehouse on the West End, where they will remain underwater until city officials decide what to do with them.

Whole story and more pics here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/three-ships-from-the-1700s-found-on-one-block-in-old-town-alexandria/2018/04/12/98ba1c8c-3da0-11e8-8d53-eba0ed2371cc_story.html?utm_term=.aeb7821f1b7e&wpisrc=nl_buzz&wpmm=1

[RandomAccess]

1. How fascinating

Thanks for posting this.

[FSogol]

2. Anytime. I love this stuff and will go take a look this weekend. n/t

[RandomAccess]

3. Well take pictures, for sure.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. They had an open house last Sunday. It rained most of the day.

Great for the ships; not so much for those viewing.

I didn't go.

Archaeologists discover third ship at Robinson Landing construction site

April 11, 2018

By Missy Schrott | [e-mail]

The City of Alexandria announced in a press release archaeologists under contract with developer EYA have found the remains of a third historic ship at Robinson Landing. This comes three weeks after the city announced two ships had been found at the site. ... Archaeologists believe all three ships at the site were built in the mid-to-late 1700s and were buried before 1798. A similar ship was discovered nearby at the Hotel Indigo site in 2015. The most recent ship discovery is the largest yet in the area.

The city and EYA will hold a public viewing of the site from the unit block of Wolfe Street on April 14 from noon to 4 p.m. Archaeologists will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. The active construction site will not be open to the public during the viewing, but many notable elements of the site will be visible, including the most recent ship discovery. The ships will be covered before and after the viewing in order to protect the wood from exposure.

“Working in Alexandria for more than 20 years, we recognize and respect the rich history of the city and the importance of preserving discoveries of this kind,” Evan Goldman, EYA vice president of acquisition and development, said in a statement.

“We’re committed to this unprecedented effort to protect the archaeological history of Old Town. The results have gone well beyond what we expected, and we are thrilled by the significance of the findings and their unique ability to preserve the legacy of the city for years to come,” Goldman said.

[FSogol]

5. Yeah, I was too tied up with commitments to go.

[applegrove]

6. Love Alexandria. Such a cool place.