Cut Trees Used in Preservation of Sailing Ships

Conservation of Historical Resources

CUT TREES USED IN PRESERVATION OF SAILING SHIPS

SCDOT has been a leader in the supply of raw materials to many tall ship restorations or constructions since the reconstruction of the USS Constitution in the early 1990’s.  SCDOT has donated timber from Live Oak trees from three separate road projects to the Tall Ship Project of SC for the "Spirit of Charleston".  All three projects were in the Charleston area:  US 52/78 Interchange & Widening (File 10.416A & 8.787) North Charleston/Goose Creek;  Limehouse Bridge Replacement (File 10.882); and, Virginia Ave Widening (File 10.307A).  Other trees from Beaufort County projects were used in the restoration of the Rowan and the Charles W. Morgan at Mystic Seaport, Massachusetts.

Six oak trees from the U. S. Highway 21 project on Lady’s Island were used for the restoration of the slave ship Amistad in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. The Amistad represents an important part of African American heritage.  Slaves rebelled when that ship sailed near Cuba in 1839. An unexpected Supreme Court decision freed the Amistad rebels in 1841, which led to heightened public debate of the slave trade.  This event contributed toward the eventual emancipation of all slaves in 1863.

Lady’s Island is home to a well-established African American community and it is located adjacent to St. Helena Island, home of the Penn Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and preservation of African American history and culture.  So, it was particularly fitting that trees from this area were used for a project that is of great historical importance to African American heritage.