• VISIT
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  • HISTORY
    • Overview
    • Timeline
    • The Civil War
    • Naval Innovation
    • The Hunley is Born
    • The Hunley’s Sinkings
    • History is Made
    • The Search and Recovery
    • The Burial
  • SCIENCE
    • Overview
    • Timeline
    • Excavation
    • Artifacts
    • Facial Reconstructions
    • Conservation
  • THE MYSTERY
    • Overview
    • Evidence
    • Theories
  • NEWS
  • ABOUT US
    • Overview
    • Contact Us
    • Press Releases
  • SHOP
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    • DONATE
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  • BUY TICKETS
The Friends of The HunleyThe Friends of The Hunley
  • VISIT
    • Weekend Tours
    • School Tours
    • Group Tours
    • Directions
  • HISTORY
    • Overview
    • Timeline
    • The Civil War
    • Naval Innovation
    • The Hunley is Born
    • The Hunley’s Sinkings
    • History is Made
    • The Search and Recovery
    • The Burial
  • SCIENCE
    • Overview
    • Timeline
    • Excavation
    • Artifacts
    • Facial Reconstructions
    • Conservation
  • THE MYSTERY
    • Overview
    • Evidence
    • Theories
  • NEWS
  • ABOUT US
    • Overview
    • Contact Us
    • Press Releases
  • SHOP
  • DONATE
    • DONATE
    • RENEW MEMBERSHIP
  • BUY TICKETS

OVER­VIEW

On February 17th, 1864, the H. L. Hunley became the first successful combat submarine in world history with the sinking of the USS Housatonic. After completing her mission, she mysteriously vanished and remained lost at sea for over a century. For decades, adventurers searched for the legendary submarine.

Over a century later, the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), led by New York Times-bestselling author Clive Cussler, finally found the Hunley in 1995. News of the discovery traveled quickly around the world. A ground breaking effort began to retrieve the fragile submarine from the sea. The Hunley Commission and Friends of the Hunley, a non-profit group charged with raising funds in support of the vessel, led an effort with the United States Navy that culminated on August 8th, 2000 with the Hunley’s safe recovery.

She was then delivered to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, a high-tech lab specifically designed to conserve the vessel and unlock the mystery of her disappearance. The Hunley has since been excavated and proved to be a time capsule, holding a wide array of artifacts that can teach us about life during the American Civil War. The submarine and the hundreds of artifacts found onboard are currently undergoing preservation work while archaeologists use the historical clues they have found to piece together the final moments of the Hunley and her crew.

The Hunley’s journey through time has been marked by innovation, courage and tragedy. Her against-all-odds tale has spanned the centuries and is one of the greatest maritime mysteries in recent history. This website follows the pioneering vessel from her inception during the American Civil War to the modern-day efforts surrounding her preservation and study.

As more sediment was excavated from the submarine, the hand crank began to appear in the sub's midsection. Here, conservators Philippe de Vivies and Paul Mardikian apply protection to the exposed crankshaft.

Next: Timeline

Contact Info

  • Friends of the Hunley
  • 1250 Supply St, Charleston, SC 29405
  • 843-743-4865
  • info@hunley.org

Hunley Project Updates

  • Artifacts Belonging to Doomed 19th Century Submarine Captain Conserved
  • Hunley Launches New Visitor Experience & Fully Reopens After Closing Due to the Coronavirus
  • A Grateful World Says Goodbye to Clive Cussler
  • Golden Treasures from the Past
  • Lost Hunley Crew’s Air Circulation System May Not Have Been Functioning the Night the Submarine Vanished

Friends of the Hunley • P.O. Box 21600, Charleston, SC 29413 • 1250 Supply Street, North Charleston, SC 29405 • Copyright © 2023 Friends of the Hunley.