Tag Archives: corolla shipwreck

03/17/11

Corolla Shipwreck Treasure

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras houses the shipwreck washed on the Corolla shore in December of 2009 that experts believe to be possibly the oldest shipwreck on the East Coast. According to Joseph Schwarzer, the director of the North Carolina Maritime Museums, this shipwreck is definitely the oldest shipwreck for North Carolina.

The treasure hunter Ray Midgett and his friend Rodger Harris started investigating the mystery of this shipwreck about 10 years ago without believing they would ever see it. After the shipwreck revealed itself ashore, Midgett and Harris found a Louis the XIII French Coin on the timber of the ship, a priceless treasure to them.

This 17th century ship sunk about 400 years ago. Schwarzer noted that the ship was made with wooden pegs or trunnels, which is an ancient technique of ship building. The archeological conservators are working hard to try and preserve the ship from further decay. This is surely a North Carolina treasure that is worth a visit!

Click here for the complete story “Ancient shipwreck unearths treasure” by WAVY.

08/2/10

Corolla Shipwreck Has a New Home in Hatteras Museum

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras village has received a very large artifact to add to its nautical collection. The remains of a shipwreck, perhaps the oldest in North Carolina, were moved 90 miles from the town of Corolla in the Outer Banks to its new home at the museum. The shipwreck was moved along Highway 12 in the middle of the night, when traffic was the lightest. Some onlookers stood along the side of the road, clapping, as the large truck hauling the shipwreck passed in the night.

The discovery was made in 2008, when tides and high winds exposed the shipwreck. The frame of the shipwreck was moved off the beach, closer to the Currituck Lighthouse in April of 2010 for protection from the sea.

People walking the beach near the shipwreck found coins and other artifacts that date back to the 17th century, the time of Louis XIII of France and Charles I of England.

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum plans to lift the shipwreck with a specialized cradle and build a structure around three sides to protect it from the elements. Visitors will actually be able to watch as the archeologists progress with studying the shipwreck.

There is not a time frame for when this plan is to take effect, but the museum welcomes all visitors to see the shipwreck as it is now. The shipwreck is open to the public behind the museum building, resting peacefully in its new home in Hatteras village.

Photos from the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
For more information about the museum, visit their website at http://www.graveyardoftheatlantic.com/