Scientists believe hull found at the WTC site likely came from a forest in the Philadelphia area . Ship likely built around 1773 and believed to have been a ` ` ' River Sloop '' ship . ` It 's such an intense site already based on its recent history , so to be in the midst of this urban , modern , very fraught location , and then to be sitting on what was a river bottom , with clams and fish , and the smell of low tide , was really an amazing juxtaposition , '' said Molly McDonald , an archeologist with the environmental consulting firm AKRF , who was among those who discovered the ship 's hull in the wreckage in 2010 . Scientists analyzed and compared tree - rings on wood from the ship with wood samples to determine probable age . Ship 's hull was found by archeologists at ground zero site in July 2010 .
Scientists believe hull found at the WTC site likely came from a forest in the Philadelphia area . Ship likely built around 1773 and believed to have been a ` ` ' River Sloop '' ship . Scientists analyzed and compared tree - rings on wood from the ship with wood samples to determine probable age . Ship 's hull was found by archeologists at ground zero site in July 2010 .