WHITEFISH BAY, MI— A steel steamer that sank in 1892 has been found in Lake Superior.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society found the Western Reserve in about 600 feet of water roughly 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point.
The 300-foot cargo ship was one of the first all-steel vessels on the Great Lakes.
In late August of 1892, shipping magnate Peter Minch took his family for a cruise up through Lake Huron enroute to Two Harbors, Minnesota. Rough weather at Whitefish Bay led the crew to drop anchor and wait for better conditions.
They eventually weighed anchor and steamed into Lake Superior, where the ship was overtaken by a gale. The family and crew boarded lifeboats, but only one crewmember survived after all the lifeboats overturned.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, using Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar aboard the non-profit’s research vessel, David Boyd, initially discovered the Western Reserve in late summer 2024. Subsequent ROV (remotely operated vehicle) deployments confirmed the identity of the shipwreck, revealing a ship broken in two, with the bow section resting on top of the stern.
