Civil War era ordnance found during patio construction in N. Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach, S.C. (WPDE) — While constructing a patio behind a home on Waterway Drive in North Myrtle Beach Tuesday morning, workers unearthed an unexploded piece of ordnance, possibly a mortar shell, according to the City of North Myrtle Beach.

The man who lives in that home told ABC15 that crews were clearing out an area for a flower bed. He says, the unexploded ordnance was just underneath the tree roots, not far down at all.

The city’s public safety department secured the scene and the Horry County bomb squad was called to investigate.

Then, an ordinance team from Shaw Air Force Base was called in to deal with the ordnance.

As of around 4:45 p.m. the team had removed the device and re-opened Waterway Drive, according to North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue.

Fire officials say the ordnance was a 3″ Parrot round from the Civil War, according to the team from Shaw.

Neighbors in the area say they hope it’s the only one they will find in this neighborhood.

The unexploded ordnance was destroyed at a site west of the Intracoastal Waterway early Tuesday night.

Waterway Drive was closed to traffic between 13th Ave North and King Street for about 4 hours.