The remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have been unearthed on the beach at a New Jersey state park.
The ship’s pieces made their way to the sand at Island Beach State Park following weeks of “erosion caused by rough surf and persistent wind and wave action,” the park wrote on social media Thursday.
According to officials, the Lawrence N. McKenzie was hauling oranges from Puerto Rico to New York City when it sank on March 21, 1890. However, all eight members of the crew survived.
The 98-foot-long schooner was built in Massachusetts in 1883.
The park’s post states that beach erosion is natural and occurs every winter when “high-energy waves and seasonal storms remove sand from the shoreline, resulting in narrower beaches and steeper profiles.”
“Most beaches recover from the erosion during the calmer summer months — but for now, this winter’s erosion has revealed a glimpse into the park’s maritime history,” officials said.
Staff stressed that visitors should respect historic artifacts within New Jersey’s state parks. Touching or removing items can result in fines or arrest by park police.
