Imagine taking a leisurely walk on the beach and discovering a time capsule from the 19th century. That’s exactly what happened to Amy Smyth Murphy, a 49-year-old from New Jersey, who stumbled upon an old green bottle while walking in Corson’s Inlet State Park. This bottle, believed to date back to 1876 or 148 years old, might just be the oldest message in a bottle ever found, potentially snatching the world record from a similar find in Australia.
A Piece of the Past
Inside the antique bottle, Amy found a business card and a handwritten note. The card belonged to “W.G. & J. Klemm,” a gentleman’s furnishings company in Philadelphia run by brothers William and John Klemm until 1881. The note referenced a yacht named “Neptune,” a vessel well-known in Atlantic City during the late 1800s and captained by Samuel Gale.
The Scent of Discovery
Opening a bottle sealed for nearly 150 years came with an unexpected surprise: a pungent odor that Amy described as “the bay smell times one million.” Despite the smell, the thrill of uncovering history kept Amy and her family fascinated.
Applying for the Record
Amy has applied to Guinness World Records to confirm her discovery as the oldest message in a bottle. Currently, the record is held by a bottle found in 2018 near Wedge Island, Western Australia, which was thrown into the Indian Ocean in 1886. If Amy’s bottle is verified, it would predate the Australian find by a decade.
Uncovering the Story
The discovery came just months after a multimillion-dollar beach fill operation in Ocean City, which experts believe might have dislodged the bottle from the ocean floor.
“They dredge up things, and some of them just float around the ocean,” explained Steve Nagiewicz, a maritime history professor at Stockton University.
A Shared Adventure
Amy’s family has embraced the mystery and joy of uncovering the bottle’s history, sharing their findings on TikTok. “It’s been really fun kind of doing it all together,” said Amy’s brother, John Smyth. They’ve used toothpicks to gently extract the delicate papers from the bottle, piecing together clues about its origins.
“It’s just so interesting to be connected to people in this way,” Amy remarked. This sentiment captures the essence of their journey—a blend of historical detective work and family bonding.
As Amy waits to hear back from Guinness World Records, the excitement around her discovery continues to grow. Whether or not it becomes the new record holder, the experience of unearthing a piece of history has been a rewarding adventure for her and her family.
For now, Amy’s find stands as a testament to the intriguing stories that can be uncovered in the most unexpected places, connecting us to the past in ways that spark curiosity and wonder.
