Archaeologists have discovered the wreckage of a 19th-century hospital and cemetery underwater off the coast of the Florida Keys. The National Park Service reported on Monday that the remains of a small quarantine hospital and the nearby burials had been discovered on a submerged island off Garden Key in Dry Tortugas National Park.
In a tweet, the Dry Tortugas National Park said, “Check out this cool find! National Park archaeologists found the remains of a hospital and cemetery underwater at Dry Tortugas National Park.”
Check out this cool find! National Park archeologists found the remains of a hospital and cemetery underwater at Dry Tortugas National Park.
NPS Photos C. Sproul
Images courtesy of National Park Service pic.twitter.com/GjVxpmfv6V
— Dry Tortugas National Park (@DryTortugasNPS) May 1, 2023
US soldiers may have been buried in the cemetery
Between 1890 and 1900, the hospital was utilised to treat yellow fever victims at neighbouring Fort Jefferson, according to the government. Numerous US soldiers may have been interred in the cemetery, which is thought to be the Fort Jefferson Post Cemetery, according to historical records.
While only one grave was found so far, historical records indicate that dozens of people, mostly U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Jefferson, may have been buried there.
Learn more of the story in our press release: https://t.co/lBc89WKFqo
— Dry Tortugas National Park (@DryTortugasNPS) May 1, 2023
John Greer, a labourer, passed away in November 1861, and just one headstone from his grave has so far been positively identified. A photo that is part of the NPS statement features University of Miami graduate student Devon Fogarty looking over a sizable slab of greywacke.
The Southeast Archaeological Centre, Fogarty, park employees, and members of the Submerged Resources Centre all participated in the survey, according to the National Park Service (NPS). “This intriguing find highlights the potential for untold stories in Dry Tortugas National Park, both above and below the water,” said Joe Marano, a maritime archaeologist in a statement.
Image Credit: Twitter/@DryTortugasNPS
“Although much of the history of Fort Jefferson focuses on the fortification itself and some of its infamous prisoners, we are actively working to tell the stories of the enslaved people, women, children and civilian labourers.” Fort Jefferson has a long history as a significant outpost for ships in the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida, despite being most well-known for its crucial role in the Union’s shipping blockade during the Civil War.
