It’s a mystery that goes back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence – but was only discovered 15 years ago. In July 2010, while excavating at the site of the World Trade Center, archaeologists discovered the remains of an 18th-century wooden ship. In all, 600 pieces of wood and about 2,000 artifacts were uncovered, including musket balls.
But the question remained, what was the ship used for and how did it end up there? Now, after years of rigorous analysis by researchers at the New York State Museum and the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation at Texas A&M University, the story is ready to be told — just in time for the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Through forensic wood analysis and deep archival research, experts at the New York State Museum worked collaboratively with the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservationto identify the vessel as a rare American-built gunboat, likely constructed near Philadelphia in the 1770s.
Used during the Revolutionary War, by the 1790s, the ship was out of commission and repurposed as landfill to expand New York City, ultimately ending up beneath what would become the World Trade Center. Today, it stands as one of the few American-built Revolutionary War ships to be identified, studied, and preserved in New York State.
Following a 14-year preservation process at the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation at Texas A&M University, pieces of the 50-foot-long, 18-foot-wide ship have made their way to the New York State Museum.
The public is invited to watch Museum staff and Texas A&M specialists reconstruct the vessel in real time. Once complete, it will become the centerpiece of the Museum’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary — kicking off New York’s contribution to the nationwide celebration.
“This is history in its rawest, most thrilling form. We’re not just unveiling a ship—we’re resurrecting a lost relic of the American Revolution, right before your eyes. New York stood at the epicenter of our fight for freedom, and this gunboat is a physical reminder of that courage and grit,” New York State Historian Devin Lander said.
“To watch it rise again, plank by plank, is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the intersection of archaeology, storytelling, and national identity. This isn’t just an exhibit — it’s a living chapter of America’s founding brought vividly back to life.”
Beginning Wednesday, May 14, visitors are invited to watch the process during regular museum hours, Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:30 am to 5 pm.
The New York State Museum is located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, NY.
Illustrations, from above: The discovery of the gunboat at the construction site for the Vehicular Security Center in Lower Manhattan, 2010 (courtesy AKRF); and Dr. Michael Lucas of the State Museum undertakes the final cleaning of a timber in preparation for reassembly at the Museum, 2025 (New York State Museum).
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