Drought Uncovers Rare Pole Boat

Thanks to low water levels caused by a drought, the remains of a rare wooden boat that could be nearly 200 years old have turned up in North Carolina's Tar River. Assistant State Archaeologist Nathan Henry says officials believe the 80-foot-long vessel could be a North Carolina pole boat, which were made in the 1820s and preceded steamboats.He says it turned up near the Old Sparta bridge in Tarboro. The town about 60 miles east of Raleigh was once a thriving port center. Henry says common practice at the time was to desert a boat if it was too leaky or had other problems. He says that's likely what happened to this vessel. State officials plan to do more research on the boat and ask the public not to disturb it.