SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Park rangers on a remote barrier island off the Georgia coast say they have found a historical treasure — an 80-foot fragment of an old shipwreck nearly buried beneath the sand.
Archaeologists from the National Park Service uncovered the wreckage last week on Cumberland Island, a federally protected wilderness area. Archaeologist Michael Seibert (SY-burt) says the section of frame and wooden siding appear to have been constructed in the mid-1800s.
Researchers hope to learn more by scouring records and testing wood samples taken from the ship's frame.
Fred Boyles, park superintendent for Cumberland Island, says a passer-by alerted rangers to the site after noticing wooden beams protruding from the sand.
But park officials don't want tourists adding the shipwreck to their sightseeing lists. They re-buried the remains to protect them.
