Latest news with #JohnEvenson
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A Ship That Vanished 100 Years Ago Was Just Discovered by a Fisherman on Lake Michigan
On a foggy evening, fisherman Christopher Thuss came across a large sunken vessel in Lake Michigan The boat, later identified as the J.C. Ames, was a 160-foot tugboat built in 1881 that was intentionally sunk in 1923 A research coordinator with Wisconsin's Shipwreck Coast said the vessel was notable because "we don't have any other versions of tugboats that are quite this big"A fisherman discovered a piece of history while on Lake Michigan one foggy May evening. When he peered under the water's surface, he spotted the remains of a large vessel that hadn't been seen in more than 100 years. 'I didn't know exactly what I was looking at at first," Christopher Thuss told NBC affiliate WGBA. "I turned over that direction and the whole ship was right there." Thuss had been using sonar equipment when he came across the wreckage of a tugboat north of the Manitowoc breakwater on Tuesday, May 13. At 160 feet, the vessel, which currently rests in only nine feet of water, is notable for its size. "We don't have any other versions of tugboats that are quite this big," Caitlin Zant, research coordinator with Wisconsin's Shipwreck Coast, told the outlet. Thuss is following his family's tradition of finding shipwrecks. His step-grandmother, 'Shipwreck Suzze' Johnson, has become a local legend, locating a number of shipwrecks over the years, including three sunken vessels in three days in 2015, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS). The WHS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Now, the younger generation is making its mark. After making his discovery, Thuss contacted Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist from the historical society, who then worked with Brendon Baillod, the president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association, to identify the wreck. They determined it was the J.C. Ames, which was built in 1881 for the lumber trade, according to the historical society. The vessel was 'one of the largest and most powerful tugs on the lakes, developed 670 horsepower with her fore-and-aft compound engine… She reportedly cost $50,000 to build,' according to a passage from Green Bay Workhorses: The Nau Tug Line that was shared by WHS. Beyond tugging other watercraft, the J.C. Ames was used in the pulpwood trade and had multiple owners. When it aged and became less functional, it was taken apart and intentionally sunk in Lake Michigan in 1923, the WHS said. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The J.C. Ames is far from the first shipwreck to be discovered in the Great Lakes. Last fall, two maritime historians found the wreck of the John Evenson, which was lost to the water in 1895. In March, the steamship Milwaukee was found in Lake Michigan after it sank following a collision with another vessel in 1886, CBS News reported. The historical society warns divers not to remove artifacts or pieces of the ship, which is a crime. The WHS said maritime archaeologists will begin the process of listing the J.C. Ames in the State Register of Historic Places. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
132-year-old shipwreck find is latest in a series of jaw-dropping Great Lakes discoveries
In just the last year, three shipwrecks have been found in the Great Lakes that each had remained hidden for 130 years or more. The Margaret A. Muir was discovered by Wisconsin maritime historians Brendon Baillod and Bob Jaeck in May after its remains were undetected for 131 years. The 130-foot, three-masted schooner sank on Sept. 30, 1893, after taking on water from a massive wave near Algoma, in Kewaunee County. It was bound for Chicago with a cargo of bulk salt. The same historians discovered the John Evenson, a wooden steam tug built in Milwaukee, last September. The Evenson capsized and sank instantly after being struck by the steambarge I.W. Stephenson while assisting it into the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal on June 5, 1895. The remains of the Evenson lie five miles northeast of Algoma. And Monday, it was learned that perhaps the most sought-after shipwreck of the three, the Western Reserve, was discovered last summer off the shores of Lake Superior after remaining hidden 600-feet beneath the surface for 132 years. One of the first all-steel freighters on the Great Lakes, it was discovered by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. More: Historic all-steel ship that went down in Lake Superior 132 years ago, killing 27, finally found No one died in the Muir, although the captain's beloved dog was lost. When the Evenson went down, four members of the crew were rescued. Martin Boswell, the fireman, was below deck and was carried down with the tug. The Western Reserve was a tragic event. Twenty-seven people died when the 318-foot freighter broke in half and sank in a matter of minutes. Among the dead were the ship's owner and captain, Peter Minch, his wife Anna, their children, Charlie, 9, and Florence, 6, as well as Anna's sister, Mary Englebry, and her daughter, Bertha, 10. The ship's other captain, Albert Myers, and his 19-year-old son also perished. The only survivor, wheelsman Harry W. Stewart, had to jump over a 3-foot crack in the freighter to reach the aft where the two lifeboats were stored. He joined the crew on the metal lifeboat, then made it to the second lifeboat, made of wood, when the metal one capsized. He finally swam a mile to shore when that boat capsized after floating for about 10 hours. The Western Reserve began to break apart roughly 60 miles north of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior The roughly 80-mile stretch of water between Munising and Whitefish Point in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is infamous for its dangerous conditions, so much so that it has become known as Lake Superior's Shipwreck Coast. Any ship traveling to or from the big lake, heading for the Soo Locks, had to pass this stretch. And with the lake's fetch stretching hundreds of miles, there is little to slow the waves. It's estimated that more than 200 ships have sunk in Whitefish Bay, according to Lynn. More: We know more about the surface of Mars than about the floor of Lake Michigan. But what we do know is remarkable. Although the Western Reserve was found in Lake Superior, estimates suggest there are more than 1,700 ships resting just at the bottom of Lake Michigan, and most of those have not been discovered. In Wisconsin's portion of the lake, there are approximately 780 shipwrecks, but only 250 have been identified, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Last year, 17 total shipwrecks were discovered off Wisconsin's Lake Michigan shores − a new record thanks to a federal mapping effort and maritime historians. Of those, 15 were confirmed off Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties last summer. The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found. Though some individual researchers place the number much higher, the official estimate is that slightly more than 6,000 ships lie on the bottom of the Great Lakes. Roughly half of them fell victim during the legendary gales of November, like the well-known Edmund Fitzgerald. In addition to shipwrecks, everything from an underwater forest to a shipload of cars to aircraft can be found on the bottom of Lake Michigan. In August, scientists confirmed there also are more than 40 sinkholes at the bottom of Lake Michigan in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Scientists say the sinkholes in Lake Michigan, ranging from 300 to 600 feet across, formed as water dissolved limestone bedrock, causing surface collapse. Groundwater erosion creates caverns beneath the lake, and ceiling collapses eventually form the circular depressions. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Locating ship after 132 years is third major Great Lakes find in a row
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
132-year-old shipwreck find is latest in a series of jaw-dropping Great Lakes discoveries
In just the last year, three shipwrecks have been found in the Great Lakes that each had remained hidden for 130 years or more. The Margaret A. Muir was discovered by Wisconsin maritime historians Brendon Baillod and Bob Jaeck in May after its remains were undetected for 131 years. The 130-foot, three-masted schooner sank on Sept. 30, 1893, after taking on water from a massive wave near Algoma, in Kewaunee County. It was bound for Chicago with a cargo of bulk salt. The same historians discovered the John Evenson, a wooden steam tug built in Milwaukee, last September. The Evenson capsized and sank instantly after being struck by the steambarge I.W. Stephenson while assisting it into the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal on June 5, 1895. The remains of the Evenson lie five miles northeast of Algoma. And Monday, it was learned that perhaps the most sought-after shipwreck of the three, the Western Reserve, was discovered last summer off the shores of Lake Superior after remaining hidden 600-feet beneath the surface for 132 years. One of the first all-steel freighters on the Great Lakes, it was discovered by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. More: Historic all-steel ship that went down in Lake Superior 132 years ago, killing 27, finally found No one died in the Muir, although the captain's beloved dog was lost. When the Evenson went down, four members of the crew were rescued. Martin Boswell, the fireman, was below deck and was carried down with the tug. The Western Reserve was a tragic event. Twenty-seven people died when the 318-foot freighter broke in half and sank in a matter of minutes. Among the dead were the ship's owner and captain, Peter Minch, his wife Anna, their children, Charlie, 9, and Florence, 6, as well as Anna's sister, Mary Englebry, and her daughter, Bertha, 10. The ship's other captain, Albert Myers, and his 19-year-old son also perished. The only survivor, wheelsman Harry W. Stewart, had to jump over a 3-foot crack in the freighter to reach the aft where the two lifeboats were stored. He joined the crew on the metal lifeboat, then made it to the second lifeboat, made of wood, when the metal one capsized. He finally swam a mile to shore when that boat capsized after floating for about 10 hours. The Western Reserve began to break apart roughly 60 miles north of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior The roughly 80-mile stretch of water between Munising and Whitefish Point in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is infamous for its dangerous conditions, so much so that it has become known as Lake Superior's Shipwreck Coast. Any ship traveling to or from the big lake, heading for the Soo Locks, had to pass this stretch. And with the lake's fetch stretching hundreds of miles, there is little to slow the waves. It's estimated that more than 200 ships have sunk in Whitefish Bay, according to Lynn. More: We know more about the surface of Mars than about the floor of Lake Michigan. But what we do know is remarkable. Although the Western Reserve was found in Lake Superior, estimates suggest there are more than 1,700 ships resting just at the bottom of Lake Michigan, and most of those have not been discovered. In Wisconsin's portion of the lake, there are approximately 780 shipwrecks, but only 250 have been identified, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Last year, 17 total shipwrecks were discovered off Wisconsin's Lake Michigan shores − a new record thanks to a federal mapping effort and maritime historians. Of those, 15 were confirmed off Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties last summer. The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found. Though some individual researchers place the number much higher, the official estimate is that slightly more than 6,000 ships lie on the bottom of the Great Lakes. Roughly half of them fell victim during the legendary gales of November, like the well-known Edmund Fitzgerald. In addition to shipwrecks, everything from an underwater forest to a shipload of cars to aircraft can be found on the bottom of Lake Michigan. In August, scientists confirmed there also are more than 40 sinkholes at the bottom of Lake Michigan in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Scientists say the sinkholes in Lake Michigan, ranging from 300 to 600 feet across, formed as water dissolved limestone bedrock, causing surface collapse. Groundwater erosion creates caverns beneath the lake, and ceiling collapses eventually form the circular depressions. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Locating ship after 132 years is third major Great Lakes find in a row
