Bethune Blackwater Schooner

The Bethune Blackwater Schooner is a 19th-century schooner shipwrecked near Milton, in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. It is one of Milton's most historically significant sites. It was named after Mr. and Mrs. John Bethune, the site's discoverers and the owners of the property adjacent to the shipwreck, and after the Blackwater River. It is estimated to be about 96 feet long and 93.2 tons. It is one of at least eighteen shipwrecks in or near the Blackwater River. It is located in a slough known as “Morton’s Basin.” Its exact address is unavailable to the public to prevent damage from vandals and sport divers. It is partially exposed underwater and partially covered in sediment. It is well preserved since its partial covering of sediment protects it from erosion and weathering. Approximately ninety percent of the ship is intact, including the entire hull as well as part of the deck and rail. Some features, such as a cabin house, are no longer intact but there are signs of where these features once existed. It is one of the best-preserved examples of its type of schooner discovered so far. It has been studied several times by underwater archaeologists. In February 1988 the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research declared the vessel to be of significant historical value. On August 8, 1991, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

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