About H. L. Hunley
The H. L. Hunley was propelled by human muscle. Eight crew members sat inside a narrow iron hull, with most of them turning a long hand crank connected to the propeller.
On February 17, 1864, the submarine attacked the USS Housatonic outside Charleston Harbor and became the first submarine in history to sink an enemy warship in combat. The achievement immediately became a mystery because the Hunley and all eight men aboard disappeared after the attack.
The wreck remained underwater for more than a century. It was located in 1995 and raised on August 8, 2000, still containing the remains and personal artifacts of the crew. The submarine was moved to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, where a long-term scientific preservation project continues.
General public tours are currently offered on weekends because conservation work occupies the facility during the week. Visitors should check the official Hunley website for current hours and tickets. Seeing the actual hand-cranked submarine inside a modern conservation tank makes the machine feel even stranger than its history sounds.