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PHOTOS: The Tragic Loss of the Western Resereve

The Western Reserve was a 301 ft., 2392 gt. steel freight steamer launched in 1890 at Cleveland, OH by Globe Shipbuilding. She was the first major steel freighter built for use on the Lakes. When she came out, her builders thought that her construction...  view photos


PHOTOS: The Mysterious Disappearance of the brig Robert Willis

The Mystery of Captain McLean, the Mormons and the Medicine Man by Brendon Baillod [This article originally appeared in Inland Seas, the journal of the Great Lakes Historical Society] Captain Murdick McLean was one of Lake Superior’s best-known...  view photos


PHOTOS: Fathoms Deep but not Forgotten: The Schooner Hiawatha

Lost Ship of the Month for April Fathoms Deep but not Forgotten: The Schooner Hiawatha As people asked for stories of obscure and little-known vessels still missing on the Great Lakes, I thought I’d offer one. The schooner Hiawatha is largely...  view photos


PHOTOS: MV Jennifer: Still Missing on Lake Michigan

The Jennifer sank in 1974 with three other vessels and a USCG helicopter onsite. Yet, her remains have not been located on the bottom. Join maritime historian Brendon Baillod for a video Lost Ship of the Month to explore this interesting lost vessels and...  view photos


PHOTOS: Revisiting the Bannockburn: Lake Superior's Flying Dutchman

The Lost Ship of the Month for February is the legendary flying dutchman of Lake Superior, the Bannockburn. This ship has achieved legendary status for having “sailed through a crack in the Lake” and “disappearing without a trace.”...  view photos


PHOTOS: Where is the Thomas H. Smith?

The wreck of the month for January is the lost steamer Thomas H. Smith, missing since November 11, 1893 when she was sunk by collision in a heavy fog of Racine, Wisconsin. The Smith was bound light from Chicago to Menomonee, Michigan, carry a crew of 12...  view photos


PHOTOS: The Enduring Mystery of the HMS Speedy

The Lost Ship of the Month for December is the legendary British gunboat HMS Speedy, lost with all hands in 1804 on Lake Ontario. The Speedy is one of the earliest lost ships still missing on the Great Lakes and played a significant role in Canadian...  view photos


PHOTOS: A Case of Mistaken Identity: The Lost Schooner Sunny Side

Literally hundreds of handcrafted white oak artifacts bearing the inscription “Sunnyside, foundered N. Fox Island, 1883” grace the dens of maritime enthusiasts around the Lakes. Lamps, tables, clocks, letter openers and pen sets were...  view photos


PHOTOS: Wrecking the Wrecker: The loss of the barge Industry

The wrecking barge Industry lies on the bottom of Lake Michigan near Lansing Shoals where she has rested since October 5, 1953. Despite a concerted salvage attempt by her owners, she has never been located by divers. Her story is an interesting one,...  view photos


PHOTOS: The Venerable Tug E.D. Holton

This weekend, we did some pretty extensive sidescan work in the Keweenaw Waterway, including a full survey of the Bay of Dollar Bay and the shoreline all the way to Ripley. One of the targets I expected to see was the remains of the venerable tug E.D....  view photos

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Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario - A Journey of Discovery Book

The National Museum of the Great Lakes is excited to announce the release of a new book titled Shipwrecks of Lake Ontario: A Journey of Discovery. This book contains stories of long lost shipwrecks and the journeys of the underwater explorers who found them, written by Jim Kennard with paintings by Roland Stevens and underwater imagery by Roger Pawlowski.

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Legend of the Lake - New Discovery Edition Book

The recent discovery of the wreck of the British warship Ontario, “the Holy Grail” of Great Lakes shipwrecks, solves several mysteries that have puzzled historians since the ship sank more than two centuries ago. Now, for the first time, the whole tragic story of the Ontario can finally be told.

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