Archaeological Discovery at Burling Slip

While digging to build the foundations of Imagination Playground in May 2009, archaeologists and construction workers uncovered the remains of two buried wharves. The first discovery, a 190-foot section of Codwise’s Wharf, was found along the eastern edge of John Street, which was built in stages between 1803 and 1807 by George Codwise Jr., a prominent New York merchant. The corner of a second wharf, Remsen’s Wharf, probably built about ten years earlier, was discovered near the corner of Burling Slip and Front Street.

Burling Slip, located in the South Street Seaport area of New York City, was originally underwater and part of the East River. By the mid-nineteenth century, the Seaport became a hub of international commerce, and Burling Slip was gradually filled and extended into the river to accommodate growing commercial needs. In the early 1800s, Burling Slip served as a docking basin for Remsen’s Wharf and later Codwise’s Wharf. The current buildings, including those of the Seaport Museum, were constructed on the filled slip and initially faced the water where ships docked.

In the 1840s, the slip was filled with sand, soil, and trash, which archaeologists later excavated to uncover mid-1800s artifacts such as animal bones, ceramics, and shoes. These items revealed insights into the local lifestyle and commerce. Archaeologists also studied the wooden wharf structures, discovering that they were built with hand-hewn pine and hemlock timbers from the Hudson Valley using techniques typical of the time. Codwise’s Wharf was unique for its linear bulkhead construction, which allowed for piecemeal building before securing full construction rights.