Valuable Archaeological Findings That Have Shaped History Over Milennia

In 1685, Robert La Salle’s exploration of the Gulf of Mexico with the La Belle aimed to establish a French colony. Unfortunately, the venture met a tragic end when the ship sank in Matagorda Bay in 1686, marking the colony’s doom.

La Belle lay forgotten under the sea after a devastating storm sank it, until the 1980s when archaeologists resurrected it at a staggering cost of over $1 million. Today, its preserved hull is proudly displayed at the Bullock Museum’s Texas History Gallery.