FDOT says the piece of the vessel was found by a crew during recent construction related to the King Street at State Road A1A drainage improvement project.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A timber section of a buried maritime vessel “believed to be” from the 19th century was found in Downtown St. Augustine recently, according to a Florida Department of Transportation news release.
FDOT says the section of the vessel was encountered by a crew during recent construction activities related to the King Street at State Road A1A drainage improvement project that began in spring 2023.
Prior to the start of construction, FDOT sub-contracted with Southeastern Archaeological Research (SEARCH) as part of the project due to the historic nature of the area, the release states. SEARCH is a global leader in archaeology and “will provide the full spectrum of cultural heritage services to assist with this specific excavation,” the release states.
“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,” said District 2 Secretary Greg Evans in the release. “We are grateful to our partners at SEARCH Archeology for their careful efforts to preserve this vessel, and we look forward to learning more about its significance to the region.”
*Editor’s note: The YouTube video below is from a previous, unrelated story*
