NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1971 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1038

HOUSE BILL 881

 

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY, EXCAVATION, AND SALVAGE OF STATE-OWNED SHIPWRECKS AND OTHER UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES.

 

Whereas, the 1967 General Assembly of North Carolina placed in the State of North Carolina the title to all shipwrecks, vessels, cargoes, tackle, and underwater archaeological artifacts which have remained unclaimed for more than 10 years lying on the bottoms of navigable waters within one marine league seaward from the Atlantic seashore and on the bottoms of any other navigable waters of the State; and

Whereas, the same General Assembly placed all such shipwrecks, vessels, cargoes, tackle, and underwater artifacts in the custody of the State Department of Archives and History and authorized the department to establish a professional staff to conduct an underwater archaeological program but provided no funds for the purpose; and

Whereas, hundreds of historic sunken shipwrecks of British, Confederate, American, and other national origin, lie in and adjacent to State-owned waters along the entire North Carolina coastal "graveyard of the Atlantic"; and

Whereas, the exact locations, conditions, and the exact historical and monetary values of most of these State-owned shipwrecks can be determined only by extensive research and underwater searching; and

Whereas, limited exploration and recovery from seven Civil War period vessels during the past nine years have indicated the presence of historically significant data and monetarily valuable artifacts; and

Whereas, the archaeological survey, recovery, and retention of historic sunken shipwrecks and associated artifacts along the entire North Carolina coast is important to the interpretation of State history, government, and culture to citizens of the State; and

Whereas, North Carolina has the underwater sites and administrative potential to surpass the efforts of other states such as South Carolina, Florida, Texas, New York, and Minnesota which already are involved in underwater archaeology programs; and

Whereas, the sale by the State of duplicate artifacts recovered from historic vessels and the sale of salvage rights to nonhistoric vessels possibly could subsidize an outstanding underwater program for the State; and

Whereas, unless funds are made available for the basic costs of a program of underwater archaeological research and recovery, State-owned shipwrecks and the artifacts on them are in danger of a decline in recoverable value through destruction by natural elements and by various individuals or groups; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Archives and History for the fiscal year 1972-1973 the sum of $29,370 for the purpose of developing a program of underwater archaeological survey, excavation and salvage of shipwrecks and other underwater archaeological sites lying in or adjacent to State-owned waters of the North Carolina coast and inland waters of the State.

Sec. 2.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 3.  This act shall be in full force and effect from and after July 1, 1971.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 21st day of July, 1971.