A Revolutionary War-era gunboat found during the excavation of Ground Zero 15 years ago has finally arrived at its new home.
A team of students and researchers from Texas A&M University’s Center for Maritime Archeology and Conservation has temporarily relocated to the New York State Museum in Albany, where they’ve been cleaning and reassembling the centuries-old vessel that’s become known as the World Trade Center ship.
Once completed, the remnants of the ship—which researchers believe was American-built—will be the centerpiece of an exhibit on America’s 250th anniversary at the Albany museum, a short walk from the state Capitol.
“It’s a very exciting time here at the museum,” Michael Lucas, the museum’s curator of historical archaeology, told the Gothamist.
The work is being done in full view of museumgoers. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions of the team as they reassemble the historic vessel that was last in the water around 1790.
”It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “You’re not going to have an opportunity to see an 18th century ship being constructed probably again in your life.”
For more details about the ship, read the rest of the Gothamist story.
To learn how much work it took to conserve the remnants of the ship, read this Smithsonian magazine story.
