Meet Evan Woodard, Baltimore man magnet fishing for ancient artifacts to uncover hidden histories
Evan Woodard, a Baltimore-based historian and founder of Salvage Arc, has been magnet fishing in the city's Inner Harbor and other local waterways since late 2022, uncovering a variety of items, both mundane and historically significant. Among other artifacts, Woodward found a shipping hook from the 1800s or 1900s and a late Victorian bench.
Magnet fishing involves using powerful neodymium magnets attached to ropes to pull metal objects from bodies of water.
In a recent ABC News interview, it was revealed that Woodward and his club members meet every week for magnet fishing. 'There's an endless supply down there,' he said.
Evan Woodard has pulled out numerous electric scooters, with reports citing at least 37 by April 2023 and a total nearing 50 later that year. On his first magnet fishing attempt just before Christmas 2022, he retrieved six scooters, some barnacle-encrusted from years underwater.
Woodard and his group have recovered firearms, including a 'ghost' gun (a firearm without a serial number) pulled from Broadway Pier on January 4, 2023, which was turned over to authorities. Knives have also been mentioned among their finds.
Common finds include rebar, bottle caps, cans, and unidentifiable metal scraps. Specific items mentioned include a 20-foot electrical pipe, a computer power supply with cord, outdoor patio furniture, metal trash cans, a shopping cart, a table, chairs, and a doll's head. A 15-foot pipe was notably pulled up by a young participant under Woodard's guidance.
Woodard's magnet fishing meetups, held weekly on Thursdays at Fells Point's Broadway Pier, have grown in popularity, attracting diverse participants from children to adults.
Evan Woodard is a historian and explorer. The Baltimore resident is behind the popular Salvage Arc Instagram account.
'My journey began during the challenging times of the pandemic when I took a shovel into my hands, not knowing that I was about to unearth a deep connection to Baltimore's hidden histories. With each dig into our city's old privies, I brought to light not just artifacts but the vibrant stories of those who walked these streets long before us. Their tales lost to time but rediscovered through our efforts, deserve to be celebrated and remembered," he writes on his website.
He founded the Salvage Arc Foundation in 2024. 'Our goal is ambitious yet profound: to build out our space and establish a museum and community center in the historic heart of Fells Point. This center will not only display our fascinating finds but will also serve as a vibrant hub for learning and connection, offering hands-on experiences in historical research for both children and adults.'
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