Wreckage Found on New York Shoreline Believed to be Part of Historic SS Savannah Ship

A piece of wreckage that washed up on a New York shoreline after Tropical Storm Ian last fall has caught the attention of experts who believe it is likely part of the SS Savannah, the first vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean partly under steam power.

The 13-foot (4-meter) square piece of wreckage was discovered in October off Fire Island, a barrier island that hugs Long Island’s southern shore. It is now in the custody of the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Betsy DeMaria, a museum technician at the park service’s Fire Island National Seashore, said “It was pretty thrilling to find it.” The society and National Park Service officials are now working together to identify the wreckage and put it on public display.

The SS Savannah was a sidewheel steamship that was built in 1819. It was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, departing Savannah, Georgia and arriving in Liverpool, England in 1819. The ship ran aground and broke apart in 1821 off the coast of Fire Island.

The wreckage is believed to be a part of the ship’s hull, which would make it the first physical evidence of the SS Savannah’s voyage. If the wreckage is confirmed to be from the SS Savannah, it would be a significant find for historians and researchers.