Revolutionary War Gunboat Unearthed at Ground Zero Finds New Home in Albany Museum

A Revolutionary War-era gunboat, unearthed at Ground Zero in 2010, has found a new home at the New York State Museum in Albany. Discovered during excavations at the World Trade Center site, this 50-foot-long, 18-foot-wide vessel, likely built in Philadelphia in the 1770s, served in the American Revolution before being decommissioned in the 1790s. Repurposed as landfill to expand New York City, it lay buried until its rediscovery. Now, after 14 years of meticulous preservation, experts from Texas A&M University have pieced together its story, identifying it as a rare American-built warship.

The museum’s exhibit, launched on May 14, showcases 600 wooden pieces and 2,000 artifacts, including musketballs, offering a tangible link to America’s fight for independence. New York State Historian Devin Lander calls it a thrilling resurrection of history, a testament to the courage that shaped the nation. This isn’t just a ship—it’s a time capsule, revealing the grit of a young America, displayed just in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary.