You are listening to An Ounce, Season 6, Episode 15, The Unlikely Lawrence of Arabia.
In the late 1980s, a shocking discovery was made. What was found was north of Kansas City, about 45-to 50 feet below a corn field. A mule. A mule in its harness and still tied to a rail. Due to the depth of the find, and the lack of oxygen, the deceased mule was quite well-preserved.
Along with this mule was found about 200 tons of various supplies. Food items of all types, clothing, simple farm equipment, and even fine and intact China.
Was this poor mule responsible for transporting 200 tons of cargo? Nope – that would be ridiculous.
Pickles
You know what else might be considered a bit ridiculous?
The food items – when uncovered in the late 1980s, were over One Hundred and Thirty years old. Everything from fruit to pickles were still in their bottles, perfectly preserved. One of the members of the excavation crew, tasked to pull all the long-lost items out of the ground, must have had a serious craving. He actually opened up a jar of the still fresh and green pickles, and enjoyed it with lunch – with no ill effects.
Well 200 tons of supplies that are over a century old – along with a singular mule. There's got to be more to this story!
And there is.
In 1856 the great steamboat Arabia was heading upstream out of Kansas City on the Missouri River. It was headed out carrying 150 passengers and supplies to 16 frontier towns. The cargo included a large assortment of preserved fruit, green sweet pickles, weapons, tools, beads, buttons, shoes, cloth, and more.
Travel by steamship was comparatively comfortable. It was a great way to get from one place to another - if there was a navigable route between the two. But there were always hazards’.
How they Lost Lawrence
Fall was rushing on, it was September 5, 1856. It was later in the day, and the sun was setting, sending a beautiful orange yellow reflection across the surface of the water. If you were a passenger on the Arabia, it was a glorious thing to witness. If you were part of the crew, it was a bit of a worry. That light, dancing like thousands of fair lanterns across the surface, made it near impossible to see any stump or snag waiting just under the surface to foul the paddle wheel, or worse yet, slam into the hull and sink the ship.
But that is just what happened.
A large hole was smashed into the hull by a large snag, below the waterline. The impact caused and the steam boat Arabia, shudder, stop, and sink within minutes.
Miraculously, all 150 passengers and crew were able to make it to shore alive.
The mule didn’t make it. It was still lashed in place to a railing on the deck.
And within a few days the wreck had disappeared in the relentless currents, mud and silt of the Missouri. Steam ship, Cargo, and mule were just gone…
But hold on just a minute – This Mule and the steam boat were located about 50 feet below a cornfield and half a mile from the river! Yep – That’s true!
Over the 132 odd years from the time the Arabia sunk, the Missouri River had wandered a bit. The great river carved a new channel and the wreck of the Arabia was lost. After who knows how many seasonal changes in water levels and floods, the river covered the already submerge Arabia with 45 feet of rich soils that were just right for growing crops.
The record that proved the Arabia had existed was present. The records of it construction in 1853 were available. And, it’s sinking in 1856 was in the papers.
Seeing Things Like a Treasure Hunter
But over the months and years the location was lost, the face of the earth changed, and the Arabia, its cargo, and the mule – were just gone and for the most part, forgotten.
But not by Bob Hawley. He and his son’s, David and Greg, went full treasure hunter. And after getting permission from the landowner, used a proton magnetometer to located the boilers of the steamboat. Then along with partners Jerry Mackey, and David Lutrell – they started digging. But the landowners insisted they needed to finish before it was time for spring planting.
It took a few weeks to uncover the first artifacts, but they found a few things on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 26, 1988. Shortly after that, they found a wooden crate filled with (still yellow) packing straw and some elegant unbroken China.
There were a plethora of treasures found. Care, restoration, and conservation efforts have been made, and now you can view much of what was pulled up from 45’ feet under a cornfield - and half a mile from the river. It’s all on display at the Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City’s River Market.
You can even find a display honoring the mule.
Think you could guess the name of that poor ole’ mule?
What the mule was called before it died, we really don’t know – but after his remains, along with the rest of the Arabia, were uncovered - they named him Lawrence - of course – Lawrence of Arabia.
So, here’s An Ounce from our little tale about Lawrence of Arabia, and the Steamship …
And, just as with any story, there are many little “ounce-sized nuggets of wisdom” to be uncovered. But, for now, might I suggest just this one.
There was no sign visible of what lay 45 feet under the ground and half a mile from the river. One could have stood among the cornstalks; or might have planted and harvested grains, or other crops, for a century or more and not had a single clue.
Yet – it was there. The Steamboat Arabia - and Lawrence - would have remained lost but for only someone who knew what to look for, and how to look.
How many amazing things are in our lives that we just overlook or take for granted.
It is amazing what you’ll find when you change your perspective and learn to look at things a different way.
And, that’s it. An Ounce, submitted for your consideration.