COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. (WRIC) — A woman was magnet fishing by Swift Creek in Colonial Heights when she pulled in something completely unexpected — a live Civil War-era cannonball.
Darla Tipton was out at White Bank Park enjoying one of her favorite hobbies — magnet fishing — or ‘fishing’ for metal objects using a magnet attached to a rope — something she said she started as a fun activity during the 2020’s COVID-19 lockdown.
“I found something to do during the pandemic and have been doing it ever since. I have found if anyone wants to get rid of something they throw it in the water,” Tipton told 8News.
Tipton said she was using a ‘Magnetar Magnetics 1400 lb‘ pull while magnet fishing during the afternoon on Tuesday at a dock along the water when she found a surprising metal object just a little bit more interesting than a spoon or aluminum can.
The Colonial Heights Police Department was notified, who then alerted State Police that a potential “unexploded ordnance” was found.
Tipton was advised to evacuate, after which State Police closed the park to allow for State Police bomb technicians to safely detonate what was identified as a cannonball.
State Police initially identified the object as “a Civil War-era unexploded ordnance” and police “rendered it safe.”
8News then reached out to Robert Hancock, the Director of Collections and Senior Curator at the American Civil War Museum for more information.
“Based on the photograph, it appears to be a spherical case shot. It’s a hollow cannonball which was filled with gunpowder and lead balls. The hole in the top was for the timed fuse so it would detonate when it reached the target,” Hancock explained.
But for Darla Tipton — even though the cannonball itself was destroyed, the findings will always remain a special memory. She even recommends anyone to give her new favorite hobby a try.
“You should get yourself one and look at a few YouTube videos and I guarantee you will be hooked!”
