Long-lost shipwreck resurfaces on Jersey Shore as officials warn against disturbing the ruins
The remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have emerged from beneath the sands of a New Jersey beach.
The ruins were recently found at Island Beach State Park, a narrow barrier island along the Jersey Shore in Ocean County.
In a Jan. 22 Facebook post, the state park identified the wreck as the Lawrence N. McKenzie — a cargo ship built in 1883.
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The 98.2-foot-long schooner was wrecked off the coast of the Garden State on Mar. 21, 1890, en route to New York City from Puerto Rico. Its homeport was Provincetown, Massachusetts.
The ship — and its entire cargo of oranges — was swallowed by the sea, though all eight crew members aboard survived.
Officials said the wreck was exposed due to rough surf and heavy winds in recent weeks.
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Rather than being washed ashore, the shipwreck emerged from beneath the beach due to shifting sand levels over time.
New Jersey's coastline is constantly changing.
It's shaped by wave action that can unearth long-buried artifacts, a spokesperson for New Jersey State Parks told Fox News Digital.
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"Several historic shipwrecks have been exposed at Island Beach State Park over the years," the official said.
"The Lawrence N. McKenzie has surfaced before, but not in more than a decade."
Beach erosion is especially common during the winter.
The official urged beachgoers not to disturb or touch the ruins of the shipwreck in order "to help preserve them for future generations."
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"Removing natural or historic resources from lands administered by New Jersey State Parks is prohibited under state park code," the individual also warned.
"Violators are subject to fines issued by the New Jersey State Park Police."
The shipwreck's exposure is not the only case involving 19th-century remains along the Jersey Shore that has drawn attention in recent months.
Last May, researchers announced they had identified mysterious bones that were found on Atlantic County beaches in the 1990s, with additional remains found in Ocean County in 2013.
The bones belonged to Henry Goodsell, the captain of another 19th-century schooner.