On a summer day 25 years ago, the Lowcountry witnessed something that seemed straight out of a movie: the careful lifting of a 19th-century submarine from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The recovery of the H.L. Hunley on Aug. 8, 2000, transformed our understanding of Civil War innovation and launched South Carolina into the spotlight as a leader in underwater archaeology and historic preservation.

We were privileged to lead a passionate and dedicated team committed not only to recovering a remarkable artifact of naval history but to preserving the legacy it carries. This was more than the raising of a submarine — it was the continuation of a journey of discovery, one that is still unfolding today with every question answered and every insight revealed.

In 1864, the Hunley became the f

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