Mysterious boat from 1800s uncovered by construction crews during downtown St. Augustine road project

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A boat believed to be from the 19th century was discovered recently as crews worked on a road project in downtown St. Augustine this week.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the timber section of the boat was found as crews worked on the King Street at State Road A1A drainage improvement project that began earlier this year.

The well-preserved wooden vessel, which appears to be about 20 feet long, was uncovered by the Bridge of Lions and began to further reveal itself as crews cleared away dirt on Wednesday morning.

Prior to the start of construction, FDOT sub-contracted with Southeastern Archaeological Research (SEARCH) as a part of the project due to the historic nature of the area. SEARCH is a global leader in archaeology and will provide the full spectrum of cultural heritage services to assist with this specific excavation.

“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. “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.”