Old shipwreck found in sands on remote Ga. island - Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

By RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

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 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.

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