An 80-pound cannonball, possibly a Civil War-era artifact, was found Thursday afternoon by a construction crew working in Downtown Houston.
Workers replacing steam lines found it 18 feet below Caroline Street near Preston.
Since it might have contained a charge, a police explosives unit and bomb-sniffing dog were called in. X-rays couldn't reveal if it was active, so the relic was removed to a safer environment,
Matt Clavin, a history professor at the University of Houston, told reporters the device likely dated to the Civil War. He said similar objects have been previously found in Houston and along Buffalo Bayou.
The intersection was closed until the device was removed. Two floors at the nearby Juvenile Justice Center were evacuated.
Once rendered harmless, it will be turned over to a local historical society for study.
PHOTO: Harris County Pct. 1 Constable