Hidden under several metres of soil along the Twelve Mile Creek lies a significant part of the history of St. Catharines.

A Brock University history professor hopes to bring it back from the depths.

Kimberly Monk will lead a team whose mandate is to re-engage local historical environments -specifically the Shickluna Shipyard.

Monk said the project will look at different ways not only managing local historical sites but also interpreting them.

"It's been a long time coming for me," said Monk, whose connection to the [project goes back to 1997 when she was working on her master's thesis on shipbuilding along the Welland Canal.

The project is focused on the maritime landscape of the Shickluna Shipyard, which was operated from 1828 by a previous shipbuilder and then Shickluna who took possession in 1838. It remained a shipbuilding yard until 1891, when it was leased to a box and basket making manufacturer.

After 1901 the site was abandoned.

Monk called it as a nationally significant archeological site.

"It was the most important Canadian shipbuilding centre during the 19th century."

While some groundwork was done in 2017, Monk said archeological investigations will begin in earnest this spring, with geophysical investigations in May followed by archeological coring.

"We'll be able to determine the depth of which the material is located, and we'll begin excavation of the site in late June, first week of July," she said.

The team comprises a number of specialists along with a number of faculty within Brock University. Students and volunteers will use ground-penetrating radar and various other technologies on the site that measures just more than the size of two football fields.

"When (Highway) 406 ran through St. Catharines it bulldozed all those wonderful 19th-century buildings. We're so fortunate this side of the creek remained abandoned. It's such a rare opportunity to document this kind of a site and the type of buildings - boat manufacturer and 16 labour houses that Shickluna built for his crew," said Monk.

"And then, of course, we have the dry dock area which has a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, a block shop and various storehouses and all that was inside. It's a huge area, incredibly important and nationally important."

Monk suggested it could be a very active maritime tourism attraction in the future.

"We'll be reconstructing the entire site with 3D imaging so that people can experience the Shickluna from around the world.

"We need the archeology first to help us tell this story.

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"We're looking forward to having our first season and being able to document some of the buildings related to this shipbuilding enterprise and continue in 2020 with the excavation of the ship that lies in the shipyard basin.

"Archeologically speaking, we have a lot of opportunities and, depending on funding, we could raise the ship, so people could see what an early canal ship looked like. This was the original form that plied these waterways."

The buried ship is a brig was built in 1854 by one of Shickluna's partners in Port Robinson, named Sir Charles Napier until 1871. It was then brought to the Shickluna shipyard to be refit, and she was renamed James Norris after a very successful businessman in the St. Catharines area.

The ship continued its bulk carrying trade until 1887 when it was brought back to Shickluna's. High cost to refit and the availability of newer composites builds left the ship in the yard where she has lied ever since.

"They back-filled the site in the 1950s. It lies under 10 to 20 feet of gravel, which is good for us and means the majority of the site is reasonably protected," said Monk.

"The majority of the buildings and the material in those should be undisturbed.

"It's an archeologist's dream, my reason to breathe. We can't wait to get out there."

Robert.Tymczyszyn@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1632