You can help by adding some! (Photo: Courtesy of the Arabia Steamboat Museum). Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. (Photo: Luke Spencer). According to Christian tradition, the apostle was shipwrecked on the Mediterranean island during. He said there had been speculation for years that the boat was somewhere in the area, but was surprised to learn it was on his land. "That's as good of history as it gets, Hawley said. Click here to login or here to sign up. The town has a single four-way stop, a single restaurant and field after field of corn. The drill cranked 37 feet down. He learned the dimensions of the boat 140 feet long by 22 feet wide measurements confirmed by the drilling on Saturday, are an exact match for the object under the field. Discovered by an unlikely team of amateur historians 45 feet beneath a Kansas cornfield, the Steamboat Arabia is one of the best-preserved shipwrecks in American history. While most rescued sunken treasure is heavily water damaged and covered in rust and barnacles, the cargo of the Arabia was in relatively pristine condition, about as immaculately preserved as the day she sank 160 years ago. There is a mural dedicated to the boat in the center of this small town on Highway 65 west of Marshall, and a sign at City Hall depicts a smaller version. The treasures contained within painting a vivid picture of western expansion and the treacherous frontier. He knew the Malta sank near the town of Malta Bend because of the name and turned to newspaper archives to narrow down its location. She also carried 130 passengers, mostly women and children, who were traveling to meet the husbands who had forged ahead to settle the land. David Hawley is equal parts a steamboat historian and a treasure hunter. Crates of cognac and champagne taste just as they did in 1856. BUT HIDDEN IN THESE FIELDS IS ANOTHER KIND OF GOLD. Box D, Coeur dAlene, ID At some point, Fulmer said, if the decision is made to excavate the boat,the project will need a permit from the state . But for more than a century, no farmer knew exactly where a different type of gold was buried. In Malta Bend, Missouri, theres one that sank loaded down with expensive and rare trading goods, and its been underground for nearly 200 years. But just what lies in wait underneath this midwestern field remains a mystery to be uncovered this winter. Researchers claim to have identified an anchor from St. Paul's shipwreck on the island of Malta. THE COST TO DIG IT UP? The only town I know of that was named for a steamboat, Hawley said. >> BEFORE I DID THIS, MY FAMILY RAN A HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING BUSINESS. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Login to create it. Visit JustWatch for more information. Because of fear of smashing into some rocks in the dark, they drop their anchors. This place is on the island of Malta in a body of water called "St. Paul's Bay," a tradition started by a priest in the 1500s but not supported in any way by historical evidence. Hundreds of 1800s steamboats were lost to the Missouri River, hidden deep beneath riverbeds and farmfields. published by Curiosity TV in 2019 In February, a core sample unearthed black and red wool and window glass, Hawley said, but more samples need to be taken to better determine what the Malta holds. The Arabia was, after all, going to be supplying everything needed for 16 outpost towns. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Aboard the sidewheeled steamer was cargo for Peter Sarpy, Papin & Robidoux and other Chouteau trading posts and merchants along the Missouri River. >> THE MALTA SUNK HERE IN 1841 AFTER SNAGGING A TREE IN THE MISSOURI RIVER. As it turns out, Luke's careful record of the voyage and shipwreck argue convincingly against the traditional "St. Paul's Bay," where no artifacts have ever been found, though professionals have searched for them. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. This suggests the possibility of a shipwreck on the rarely travelled north side of the island, where St. Paul's Bay now is. Steamboatvoyages were frequently hazardous, and hundreds of steamboats sank along the Missouri alone. People, you know, a mile away figured it might be on their property or whatever.. People, you know, a mile away figured it might be on their property or whatever.Hawley wasnt the first to come to Backes front door asking to search the property. >> WE KNEW IT HAD TO BE HERE SOMEWHERE. The artifacts are preserved and displayed at the Arabia Steamboat Museum, located in the historic City Market. >> THE SEARCH NOW IS TO FIND A PLACE TO PUT THE BOAT AND THE TREASURE INSIDE. Steamboat Arabia & Malta Featured In Shipwreck Documentary There is a relatively new network available for people who love learning and documentaries about a host of engaging topics. Watch their journey below. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Local legends grew of a sunken steamboat under the cornfield of retired magistrate Norman Sortor. There is much yet to do at Malta. Everybody was really very pleased.. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. We're bringing in good people to the project.. [However, he says that St Paul healed . I produce daily conversations to uplift and inspire the people of the Kansas City area to make the world a better place. Error! The boat, built inPittsburgh in 1839, had left St. Louis for Council Bluffs, Iowa. It wasnt tough to know where to start. You wont find it on the first day and I didnt find it I dont think in the first year.. Director Shane Seley Writer Michael Mavretic Star Jodi Shilling As more and more facts emerged from our investigation, the possible search areas became fewer and fewer, until by the time our search team made our most recent trip to Malta, we had narrowed down our target sites to just two relatively small areas. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. Now, David Hawley, alongside Jerry Mackey and David Luttrell, are leading a new team of adventurers determined to unearth the sunken steamboat. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. (Photo:Courtesy of the Arabia Steamboat Museum), As the cargo deck was gradually unearthed, so too was the remarkable scale of the find. Discovered by an unlikely team of amateur historians 45 feet beneath a Kansas cornfield, the Steamboat Arabia is one of the best-preserved shipwrecks in American history. Cornfield Shipwreck TV Special 2019 37 m IMDb RATING 7.4 /10 19 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Discovered by an unlikely team of amateur historians 45 feet beneath a Kansas cornfield, the Steamboat Arabia is one of the best-preserved shipwrecks in American history. PLEASE NOTE: Unless otherwise expressly stated, pricing and offers mentioned in these articles are only valid for up to 30 days from initial publication date and may be subject to change. All her passengers were saved, except for a mule, chained to a sawmill on the ground deck. He can't do this work alone working with construction companies and archaeologists since beginning the search for the Malta. The treasures contained within painting a vivid picture of western expansion and the treacherous frontier. It will be recovered during the winter months to provide cold air for the collection and lessen the threat of spring and summer flooding of the river., The stories of these great frontier steamers, says Hawley, and the heroic pilots that steered them up this uncertain river have fallen silent. The first mystery is, of course, how a boat that sank mid-river ends up buried in a field. >> HE BROUGHT DRILL, AND FROM 37 FEET BELOW GROUND PULLED UP 150 GOLD BUTTONS FABRIC, WELL-PRESERVED CERAMIC AND A LARGE IRON HOOK. "These are national treasures, Hawley said. ", I didn't care about flying saucers or Bigfoot, he said. We had no idea it was right there, Backes said. Before the advent of the railroads, steamboats pioneered the rapidly expanding Western frontier, carrying passengers and supplies along rivers such as the Mississippi and the Missouri. Ours is a tale of treasures lost, says Hawley. (Photo:Courtesy of the Arabia Steamboat Museum). While the Arabia lies once again dormant in the cornfield, plans are already underway for the next excavation this winter: the steamboat Malta. The Malta sank in the Missouri River in 1841. And because of the peculiar nature of the moving of the Missouri River bank, the collection is mint and pristine. The treasures contained within painting a vivid picture of western expansion and the treacherous frontier. Bible study resources from Dr. Chuck Missler, on DVD, CD, audio and video download. Hawley has found several sunken steamboats. Its like playing Battleship, Hawley said. Its tagline is 200 tons of treasure., When designing the museum, inspiration was drawn from departments stores to see how the merchandise would have been displayed. Aboard the sidewheeled steamer was cargo for Peter Sarpy, Papin & Robidoux and other Chouteau trading posts and merchants along the Missouri River. Hawley had known about the Malta for years, but he waited to start searching until 2014. 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(Photo: 285,000 People Urge a Chinese Park to Free the 'World's Saddest Polar Bear', Some Ships Keep Sailing Even After They're Wrecked, Florida Has More Archaeological Canoes Than Anywhere Else in the World, FOUND: An Incredibly Well Preserved Egyptian Funeral Boat From 4,500 Years Ago, Take a Soothing Swim in a Lake Swarming With Golden Jellyfish, Racing a Giant Pumpkin Boat in Goffstowns Regatta, Show & Tell With a Pull-Tab Archaeologist, Inside Ohio's Experimental Archaeology Lab. Drill bits sit in the back of a pickup truck waiting to be used to drill for the location of the Malta steamboaton Saturday. Drilling cant be done every day; the process is dependent on weather and dry soil. As an assistant producer on Up To Date, my goal is to amplify voices of people who serve as pioneers in their respective fields while shedding light on issues that affect underserved communities. 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