119-year-old shipwreck unearthed by Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael struck the Florida Panhandle in early October, devastating the region with heavy rain and record-breaking winds. The storm flooded communities and flattened homes.

The powerful storm also unearthed a piece of history: the wreckage of at least one, and possibly two, 19th-century ships.

“These wrecks are extremely well-documented and are well-understood,” Sarah Revell, communications director at the Florida Department of State, said in an email to AccuWeather.

These vessels have been mostly stationary since they were wrecked by Hurricane Carrabelle in 1899, or nearly 120 years ago.

The damage estimates from Carrabelle reached $1 million dollars, including nearly 60 vessels beached or completely destroyed, according to the Florida Memory Program.

“They have been exposed a number of times before and have already been mapped and investigated scientifically,” Revell said.

The Carrabelle Boat Club posted photos by Andrew Smith of the wreckage, describing it as "history revealed" by the storm.

According to Revell, the Florida Department of State does not have immediate plans to revisit the site due to Hurricane Michael recovery efforts happening nearby.

“We may visit the site in the near future with some of our partners if it has not been covered up by sand again,” Revell said.

You can learn more about the shipwreck online at Academia.edu.

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