Nor'easter reveals possible 19th-century shipwreck on Nantucket beach

A recent nor'easter uncovered wooden debris on the south shore of Nantucket, Massachusetts, that may be part of the 1884 wreck of the three-masted schooner Warren Sawyer. The remnants were first reported by Jason Graziadei, editor-in-chief of the Nantucket Current, who posted a video of the find on Saturday. Graziadei said the debris matches the location and appearance of the historic wreck, though he acknowledged the possibility it could belong to another vessel.

The Warren Sawyer sank on Dec. 22, 1884, while en route from New Orleans to Boston carrying over a thousand bales of cotton and scrap metal. A 2023 report by the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, which examined archival, photographic, historical and archaeological data, concluded the wreckage is “most likely” from that schooner. Earlier fragments were reported in December 2022 and February 2023 along the same stretch of coastline.

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger, deputy director of the Maria Mitchell Association, said additional investigation is needed to confirm the origin of the newly exposed material. The Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources and the Egan Maritime Institute, which has assisted in prior identification efforts, did not respond to requests for comment.