Piece of 1800s ship found washed up on beach

Officials with Maryland State Parks said the 14.5-foot-long piece was found at a beach in Assateague State Park last month.(Maryland State Parks via Facebook)
Published: Jan. 5, 2024 at 1:44 PM CST

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Gray News) - A piece of apparent driftwood washed up on a Maryland beach has historical significance according to historians; it’s part of a ship that is more than 100 years old.

Officials with Maryland State Parks said the 14.5-foot-long piece was found at a beach in Assateague State Park last month.

Park staffers consulted the Maryland Historic Trust and determined it is most likely a piece of deck timber from a ship, believed to be from the mid-to-late 1800s.

Staffers tagged the piece of timber and left it on the beach. They said this was done so it can be tracked when it is swept out to sea and shows back up on another beach.