The Oconee River Wreck: The Discovery and Preservation of a Georgia Flatboat Timber

Summary

This is a paper/report submission presented at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

In June of 2019 two recreational fishermen notified the Museum of Underwater Archaeology about a piece of wreckage that had been pulled from Oconee River near Milledgeville, Georgia. The initial investigation suggested the 27-foot-long timber might be an early nineteenth-century flatboat. This paper will discuss the background research, investigation, and preservation plan currently underway. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources granted permission to Georgia Southern University to currate and preserve the timber. Due to the construction techniques represented, this piece of wreckage has the potential to contribute to the maritime history of Georgia’s inland waterways.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• 2020 SHA General Sessions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 1027