MRR is Recognized for its Contribution to the City of Fort Pierce

On Monday evening, November 19th, MRR’s Director Dan Porter and partner Art Schweizer joined Captain John Brandon of 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC in receiving a prestigious proclamation from the City of Fort Pierce.

Dan Porter, Art Schweizer and John Brandon are recognized for their instrumental participation in the public exhibition of an iron cannon in Fort Pierce, Florida.

The Mayor and City Council of Fort Pierce recognized the cooperative effort of MRR and Queens Jewels for recovering an iron cannon from the 1715 Fleet Sand Point wreck site earlier this year. The artifact is the first iron cannon to be raised from a 1715 Fleet shipwreck site in more than 30 years and was donated to the City of Fort Pierce for the purpose of public exhibition.

The recovery effort was planned in collaboration with the Keep Fort Pierce Beautiful Advisory Board and the Fort Pierce Lions Club. Conservation is expected to take three years and the cannon will then be placed for permanent public exhibition in the plaza at Melody Lane Fishing Pier.

The Fort Pierce Mayor and City Council awarded a proclamation for the recovery effort.

The recovery procedure was performed using MRR’s vessel Seatrepid, crewed by Art Schweizer, Levin Shavers and Rob Hill, and was directed by recovery experts Dan Porter and John Brandon. The recovery was performed to the highest archaeological standard with the environmental oversight of Dr. Peter Barile.

Dan Porter and John Brandon receiving proclamation certificates from the City of Fort Pierce.

Dan Porter is especially proud to give back to the local community of Fort Pierce, where he was born and raised. He feels that public exhibition of this and other artifacts creates opportunities for the education of our youth and future generations. The process of recovering, preserving and exhibiting artifacts ensures that the rich cultural heritage of the Treasure Coast can be known and appreciated by all.