Hi Randy: I don't have a link at this moment, It was in our local paper which comes out every Monday,,The paper name is ("The Monday Pub")
(Vol)28#37 September 17th-2007, Reppert Publications,Anna,Illinois,62906 Here is part of the article!
Robert Swenson Associate Professor at Southern Illinois University, School of Architecture,Carbondale Ill, is overseeing the removal of the Flatboat,which has been named America,since it was found Close to the Ghost Town America IL. & Olmsted IL,,along the Ohio River
For More than a hundred years Flatboats traveled American Waterways with Passengers & Loads of Goods,Supplies etc,But usually at a Journeys end these vessels were broken up & Sold for the Lumber,none Preserved for future generations to See.
John Schwegman a local resident of Olmsted Contacted Siuc about the Flatboat which was at the time part submerged along the Ohio River just a few miles From where it joined with the Mississippi River.
It took nore than a year to get permits & Property access permissions, When the River Level Dropped,,Mark J. Wagner an archaeologist with Siuc,Center of archaeological investigations Led the Preservation effort along with Robert H. Swenson,,
The Flatboat is the Only known remaining Shoe box Shaped Example Of a Flatboat built in America,Out of a Estimated 100,000 Flatboats that traveled American Waterways, Flatboats were used from around 1780 to the 1900's & were one of the main ways that Pioneers Of America Moved Crops & Other Commodities to Market in the Early 1800's, The Flatboat was about 45 feet long & 12 foot wide,this Flatboat was constructed with Wooden Pegs, rather than nails ,it's Construction didn't match any previous written accounts of Flatboat Construction down through History,So this Find Has Gave a Unique Peak At unknown History. The Pic in our paper Showed a backhoe removing part of the Flatboat.
This is almost word for word out of Our paper Also,
Les