Ft. Morgan Civil War Ship Uncovered During Hurricane Ike

Posted on September 18, 2008
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Reader ‘Angie’ wrote in with questions about the ‘Mystery ship’ uncovered during recent hurricane, “Ike”. Angie asked the following:

“I was just watching the video from NBC news about the mystery ship that was uncovered from hurricane Ike. I wonder who has ownership in a case like that? the state? federal govt? what if it really is a ship from the civil war? i wonder what the statues are on that?”

Yes, it most likely is a civil war ship. Local historians note that the wreckage is similar to a nearby wreckage of the Civil War-era Ivanhoe, a shipwreck that was found by researchers at FSU.

This shipwreck has surfaced previously during hurricane Ivan in 2004, however, not nearly as much of the wreckage was visible. After Ike, more of the wreckage reveals pipes and other features characteristic of steam ships of a similar era.

As far as who owns it, that may be less obvious than one might think. according to a 1999 law from the state of Alabama,

“Cultural Resources, all abandoned shipwrecks or remains of those ships and all underwater archaeological treasures, artifacts, treasure troves, or other cultural articles and materials, whether or not associated with any shipwrecks that are contained in or on submerged lands belonging to the state of Alabama and the sea within the jurisdiction of the state, and that have remained unclaimed for more than 50 years, excluding there from sunken logs, cants, and timber resources of any other type not associated as part of a shipping vessel, and are eligible for, or listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.”

This means that, [according to Alabama] the owns the shipwreck. However, federal law, the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 (ASA) authorized the federal government to assert ownership over abandoned shipwrecks when they occur as the following: (1) embedded in submerged state lands; (2) embedded in coral on submerged state lands; or (3) on submerged state lands while eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The ASA then transfers ownership of these specific “embedded” or “historic” shipwrecks to the appropriate state, except if the shipwreck is located on federal lands or Indian lands.

Anyone interested in the wreckage should note that violation of an historic preservation statute is a misdemeanor in Alabama punishable by a $1000 fine.

Below is video of the actual shipwreck uncovered in Fort Morgan, AL.