Clarence Merk Jr., formerly of Laconia, continues to move forward with his plan to raise the Alice Dean, a Civil War-era steamboat from the Ohio River.

The boat was burned and sunk by Confederate Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan and his cavalry near Mauckport during the Civil War in June 1863.

Merk detailed the plan and updated the progress to the Mauckport Town Council on March 2.

He said the area where the ship was sunk — generally between Morvin's Landing and Buck Creek — will eventually be designated as a national park.

"We have national treasure," Merk said. "It's something people have never seen."

And Mauckport could see some benefit from the project, if it goes according to plan, he added.

Merk said the Navy, as well as the National Registry of Historic Places, now officially recognizes the Alice Dean as a military casualty of a battle on the Ohio River near Morvin's Landing involving Home Guard militia, The Heth Rifle Corps led by Col. John Timberlake under the command of Louis Jordan and two Union gunboats, the USS Springfield and the USS Elk.

"On July 7 and 8, 1863, a 24-hour battle ensued, including a five-hour cannon battle waged with Confederate forces, trying to prevent them from crossing into Indiana," Merk said. "The inability of combined Union land and naval forces to prevent an invasion allowed the infamous Morgan to commandeer two steamships, the civilian ship J.T. McComb, docked at Brandenburg, and a huge, new luxurious wooden hull side-wheeler packet ship named the Alice Dean that recently had been chartered to the Cincinnati Sanitary Commission by the U.S. Navy to transport medicines, supplies and wounded troops between Memphis, Tenn., and Cincinnati. The Alice Dean was never relieved of her duty and charter."

Last May, Merk led a combined effort to find the ship and see how much of it is still intact. With the help of Indiana conservation officers, the Louisville Rescue and Dive Team and the U.S. Coast Guard, Merk identified its location and sonar showed at least one large piece of the ship was still intact.

Merk said he's working on establishing a 20-year plan for the Alice Dean, which could include a museum on both sides of the Ohio River, once it's raised, as well as the chance for economic growth, such as a floating restaurant, a dock, marina, fuel station, riverside park or local craft station.

"We need people that can see these small opportunities and build it for 20 years down the road," he said.

Merk asked the town to annex the land up to the county-owned park at Morvin's Landing. He asked the town to hire him, for $1 a year, as a consultant so he could report back to them about any progress and would have their support.

"This is the only thing that I can see that can give Mauckport any type of growth in the next 50 years," he said.

Town Councilwoman Holly Kingsley said the town had an opportunity for growth with a potential public boat ramp, but it never came to fruition.

Town Councilman Robert (Bob) Crosier said it would be "quite a jump" for the town to annex that far, and the council (Crosier, Kingsley and Nancy Kirby, who was absent) said they'd get back to Merk about his contract proposal after consulting an attorney.

Resident Leslie Williams suggested providing a letter of support for Merk.

Merk plans to make a similar presentation to town officials across the Ohio River in Brandenburg and, eventually, the Harrison County Board of Commissioners.

"I think it's great," Kingsley said of Merk's plan.

Crosier said he thinks it's a good endeavor, and he's not against it by any means.

"But it's tricky when you involve the town," he said.

Merk said the Civil War crowd will flock to it since it has never been seen.