Sunken Boat Raised from Dan River

A team of underwater archeologists freed a 40-foot-long replica batteau from the bottom of the Dan River on Thursday, two years after heavy rains caused it to flip and sink.

The Dan River Basin Association had operated the full-sized replica because of the boat's connection to the region.

Since the 1790s, the simple, flat boats had served as freight haulers, clearing the way for civilization to move up and down rivers and establishing countless cities and towns.

Now freed from the muddy depths, the replica batteau will be floated downriver and examined to see if it remains seaworthy or if it would serve better as a historical display outdoors.