Phase 1B Underwater Archaeological Report for the Onondaga ...

FINAL
Phase IB Underwater Archaeological Resources Report for Onondaga Lake Superfund Site
Anomaly 53: Canal Boat
Anomaly 53 Summary Table
Anomaly Identification Canal Boat; NY Site Number 06740.012305
Remedial Impact
Dredge and Cap
NRHP Eligibility
Eligible as Contributing Property to Syracuse Maritime Historic District
Recommendation
Anomaly Dataset
Side Scan (2005)
No
Magnetometer (2005) No
Side Scan (2010) 6/2/10
Sector Scan (2010) 6/4/10
ROV Video Footage (2010) 6/10/10
Diver Observations 6/26/11
Diver Videography
No
Maps/Charts
No
Aerial Imagery
No
Historic Accounts
No
Research Results
Anomaly A53 is a canal boat that was located during the Phase 1B underwater archaeological fieldwork
in June 2010. The site was found visually from the survey vessel during the investigation of A45, and
was not part of the original Underwater Work Plan. The site rests in such shallow water (1 to 2 feet [.3
to .61m]), that the 2005 remote sensing survey of Onondaga Lake did not locate the site.
A53 was examined with side scan sonar, scanning sonar, visually from the surface and with the remotely
operated vehicle (Figure 65) and verified with a diver. The site is the bottom of a canal boat with
elements visually noted including floors, bow frames, stem and cocked hats. The vessel has a beam of
approximately 17½ feet (5.33m) and an extant length of approximately 60 feet (18.29m). The boat’s
stern is buried, but the overall length is likely 97 to 98 feet (29.57 to 29.87m) in accordance with the
dimensions of the canal locks. These dimensions place the build date for the vessel between 1862 and
1915. The canal boat’s most interesting feature is the cocked hat construction technique used to tie the
sides of the hull to the bottom. The vessel has flat floors with trapezoidal timbers (cocked hats) which
connect the floors to the futtocks. This is a construction technique that has been documented on
steamboats; however, LCMM researchers do not know of any canal boats that were built using this
technique. The floors are completely flat with room and space of about 1 foot (30.5cm) with floors
about 3 inches (7.6cm) sided. The vessel’s bow is located to the east and consists of a typical rounded
canal boat bow as outlined by sporadic framing protruding six inches to one foot (15 to 30.5cm) above
the bottom. The remains of the stem were noted standing approximately 1 foot (30.5cm) above the
bottom. Numerous disarticulated pieces of A53 were located around the wreck, particularly to the
southeast. These included several frame sections which were of cocked hat construction like the wreck
itself; each disarticulated piece was examined in detail to make sure it was not a larger section or a new
wreck.
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