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Guide to Treasure Map of the
Great Lakes Region
IMA
Bentley Historical
Library University of Michigan
Guide to Treasure Map of the
Great Lakes Region
Copyright , 1961 Gerard Schultz
The value of treasures that lie on the bottom of the Great Lakes is enormous . Since the time the GRIFFIN sailed into the port of missing ships in September , 1679 , several thousand vessels , carrying money in strong boxes , iron ore , copper , lumber , and a variety of other cargoes , have been lost on the lakes .
The five Great Lakes are 1297 miles long . For each mile there are at least five sunken or wrecked ships . The following list details the names , dates , and approximate locations of the more important wrecks . Shifting sands at the bottom of the lakes may have covered , or partially covered some wrecks . Numbers showing the locations of wrecks on the map correspond to the numbers in the explanatory text .
It is important to know which wrecks and cargoes have been re covered . For this reason a number of salvaged wrecks are included in the list below . Some sources still list these as “ lost treasures . ”
LAKE ERIE :
1. GEO . W. ADAMS sank near Colchester , 12-11-1895 . Coal , $ 25,000 . 2. ATLANTIC sank near Long Pt . , Ont . , 8-10-1852 . The safe , said to
contain large amount of specie , was salvaged 6-22-1856 by Elliot P.
Harrington . 3. Stmr . BROOKLYN exploded and sank near Fighting I. , 10-22-1874 . 4. Stmr . BRUNSWICK , loaded with anthracite coal , sank near Dunkirk ,
N.Y. , 11-12-1881 . 5. CITY OF BUFFALO burned at Cleveland , 3-20-1938 . Raised and
dismantled .
6. Stmr . MARSHALL F. BUTTERS sank south of Pelee Pt . , Ont . , 10
20-1916 . General cargo , including lumber , $ 195,000 . 7. Sch . CARLINGFORD , loaded with wheat , sank about 12 mi . north of
Dunkirk , N.Y. , 11-12-1881 .
8. Passenger steamer CHESAPEAKE sank off Conneaut , 6-8-1847 . 9. Stmr . CLARION burned and sank between Amherstburg , Ont . , and
Pte . Mouille , Mich . , 12-8-1909 . Was not loaded with locomotives as
often stated , but carried flour , oil cake and merchandise . 10. Barge CLEVECO lies in about 56 feet of water about 9 mi . 8 ° from
Cleveland East Entrance Light with a cargo of oil valued at $ 271,000 . Sank 12-3-1942 .
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11. Sch . C.O.D. foundered at Port Burwell , Ont . Value of vessel and
cargo , $ 27,000 .
12. Stmr . JAMES B. COLGATE sank 10-20-1916 at Long Pt . , Ont . Coal ,
$ 200,000 . 13. Stmr . COMMERCE sank near Port Maitland , May , 1850 . 14. CITY OF CONCORD foundered near Pelee I. , 9-27-1906 . 15. Bark COURTLAND , ore - laden , sank near Lorain , Ohio , 6-20-1868 . 16. Stmr . DAKOTAH sank near Long Pt . , Ont . , 11-10-1860 . Copper ,
$ 500,000 . Contents of safe , $ 60,000 . 17. Stmr . ERIE , which sank off Silver Creek , N.Y. , was salvaged and
reportedly yielded nearly $ 200,000 in gold and silver specie . 18. Stmr . G. GRIFFITH burned and was wrecked near Willougby , Ohio ,
6-17-1850 . Safe may contain considerable amount of specie . 19. Sch . GROTON foundered at anchor 12 mi . west of Port Stanley ,
11-11-1897 .
20. Stmr . HELENA stranded on Hen and Chicken Reef near Sister Is . ,
9-17-1918 .
21. Stmr . IDAHO foundered 12 mi . from east end of Long Pt . , 11-6-1897 .
Mixed package freight . 22. Sch . JAMES F. JOY , ore - laden , foundered near Pelee Pt . , 10-23-1887 .
23. Stmr . KENT sank about 5 mi . below Pelee Pt . , 1845. Baggage and
money .
24. LAWRENCE foundered off Long Pt . , 8-16-21 . 25. Sch . LEXINGTON sank off Point Mouille , 6-11-1846 . 110 bbls . of
whiskey and $ 300,000 in gold . 26. Stmr . JOHN B. LYON foundered about 4 mi . east of Girard , Pa . ,
9-11-1900 . Iron ore . 27. Car - ferry MARQUETTE and BESSEMER No. 2 foundered south of
Port Stanley , Ont . , 12-7-1909 . Loaded freight cars . 28. Stmr . MERIDA went down at the east end of Middle Sister I. , 10-20
1916. General cargo . 29. Stmr . MORNING STAR sank off Lorain , Ohio , 6-21-1866 . General
cargo , $ 200,000 . 30. Sch . NEW BRUNSWICK lost off Pelee Pt . , 1859. Cargo of walnut
and oak timbers , $ 250,000 . 31. WALTER H. OADES sank near the Dummy , 8-20-1888 . * 32. Propeller OHIO went down about 30 mi . above Long Pt . , 11-6-1859 . 33. Stmr . JAMES H. REED sank along Canadian shore about 42 mi .
from Long Pt . , 4-27-1944 . Iron ore .
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34. Stmr . DEAN RICHMOND sank in 1893 about two miles north of
Erie , Pa . Cargo included merchandise and pig zinc . 35. Stmr . SAND MERCHANT lies in about 54 feet of water about 13
mi . 288 ° from Cleveland West Pierhead . Capsized 10-17-1936 . Cargo
valued $ 210,00 . 36. Tug SACHEM foundered near Dunkirk , 12-18-1950 . 37. SIBERIA foundered off Long Pt . , 1905 . 38. Stmr . TRANSFER foundered off Lorain , Ohio , May , 1896. Cargo ,
$ 4,500 . 39. Sch . TWO FANNIES , loaded with iron ore , foundered a few miles
northwest of Cleveland , 8-10-1890 . 40. Stmr . FRANK E. VIGOR sank in about 75 ft . of water , 28 mi . from
Southeast Shoal Light , 4-27-1944 . 41. The historic steamer WALK - IN - THE - WATER wrecked near Pt .
Abino , 11-1-1821 . Salvaged . 42. Stmr . GEO . WASHINGTON burned off Dunkirk , N.Y. , 6-16-1834 . 43. Stmr . ANTHONY WAYNE lost off Vermilion , 4-18-1850 . Said to
have carried $ 100,000 in gold . 44. GEORGE J. WHELAN sank near Dunkirk , N.Y. , 7-29-1930 . Gen
eral cargo , $ 235,000 . 45. Sch . C. L. YOUNG driven ashore on Horseshoe Reef , 11-5-1896 . 46. YOUNG PHOENIX foundered off Long Pt . , 9-14-1818 . Safe is said
to contain large amount of specie and jewelry .
LAKE HURON :
47 , 48. Stmrs . ALBANY and PHILADELPHIA collided and sank off
Point aux Barques , 11-7-1893 . 49. Stmr . ALBION wrecked near Grindstone City , Mich . , 10-3-1887 . 50. Stmr . MATTHEW ANDREWS wrecked on Corsica Shoals , 11-9-1913 . 51. Stmr . ARGUS was lost during the Great Storm of November , 1913 .
Probably foundered some distance east of Point aux Barques . Wreck
age washed ashore near Goderich , Ont . Coal . 52. Stmr . ASIA foundered in Georgian Bay within sight of Lonely I. ,
9-15-1882 . Merchandise . 53. Barge AUSTIN foundered at Port Austin , 11-20-1883 . Railroad sup
plies . 54. Sch . CLAYTON BELLE sank about 10 mi . above Port Huron , 4-10
1882. Pig iron . 55. Stmr . A. M. BYERS sank in St. Marys R. , April , 1956. Salvaged . 56. Stmr . JAMES CARRUTHERS foundered north of Goderich , Ont . ,
11-11-1913 . Cargo of wheat .
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57. Stmr . CLIFTON lost in storm 9-22-1924 . Cargo $ 75,000 . Wreckage
found 45 mi . south of Alpena , Mich .
58. Stmr . R. G. COBURN foundered near Harbor Beach , Mich . , 10-15
1871. Cargo included 15,000 bushels of wheat , 3,500 barrels of flour , and 30 barrels of silver ore from Silver Islet Mine .
59. Barge E. COHEN , loaded with 250,000 ft . of lumber grounded at
Port Hope , Mich . , 10-18-1890 . 60. Stmr . CITY OF DETROIT foundered in Saginaw Bay , 12-4-1873 .
Merchandise .
61. JOSEPH S. FAY , ore - laden , foundered on Forty Mile Pt . , northwest
of Rogers City , Mich . , 10-19-1902 .
62. Propeller A. M. FOSTER foundered off Point aux Barques in 1888 . 63. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN stranded on Thunder Bay I. , 10-5-1850 . 64. Wreck of the GLADSTONE can be found just above Point Edward
range light near Sarnia , Ont . 65. Stmr . GOLIAH wrecked on lower Lake Huron . Mixed cargo - part
of it washed ashore at Goderich and Kincardine , Ont . 66. Stmr . E. B. HALE foundered in Saginaw Bay , 10-7-1897 . Cargo ,
$ 25,000 . 67. Stmr . HAMONIC burned at Pt . Edward , 7-17-1945 . Salvaged . 68. Stmr . H. M. HANNA , JR . , stranded near Grindstone City , Mich . ,
11-9-1913 . Refloated and returned to service .
69. Sch . HAVRE wrecked on Middle I. , 1845. Merchandise .
70. Stmr . GEORGE M. HUMPHREY sank off Old Fort Mackinac Pt . ,
6-15-1943 . Salvaged . 71. Historic brass cannon , which had been taken from the wreck of the
ALICE HACKET stranded in Georgian Bay , 11-4-1828 , was lost by
the salvage party near Southhampton , Ont . 72. Stmr . HYDRUS sank off Lexington , Mich . , 11-11-1913 . Cargo ,
$ 230,000 .
73. Freighter KALIYUGA , loaded with iron ore , was last seen between
Middle I. and Thunder Bay I. in late November , 1905 . 74. S. R. KIRBY sank near Thunder Bay I. , 6-8-1914 , with valuable cargo
of lumber . 75. Stmr . JOHN A. McGEAN lost near Port Sanilac , 11-13-1913 . Coal . 76. Stmr . MANASOO sank off Griffith's I. , Georgian Bay , 9-15-1928 . 77. Sțmr . MAPLEDAWN wrecked at Christian I. , Georgian Bay . Hull
partially salvaged for scrap in 1942 . 78. Stmr . MARINE CITY went down at Alcona , Mich . , 8-29-1880 .
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79. Stmr . MATOA stranded north of Harbor Beach , Mich . , 11-10-1913 .
Salvaged and towed to Port Huron .
80. Sch . M. F. MERRICK sank off Presque Isle , 5-18-1889 .
81. Liberian freighter MONROVIA sank near Alpena , Mich . , 6-25-1959 .
Cargo of steel parts , $ 350,000 .
82. Barge NASHUA foundered about 8 mi . from Bayfield , Ont . , October ,
1892. Lumber .
83. Stmr . OSCEOLA stranded near Port Austin , Mich . , 11-8-1887 . Value
of vessel and cargo , $ 115,000 . Salvaged .
84. Wreck of steamer PEWABIC lies between Thunder Bay I. and Crooked
I. Strong box and part of cargo recovered . Some of the copper was salvaged in 1917 by Mrs. Margaret C. Goodman , “ a mere slip of a woman . ” Vessel sank 8-9-1865 . More than 200 tons of copper remain to be salvaged .
85. Stmr . CHARLES S. PRICE lies about 10 mi . 18 ° from Fort Gratiot
Light . 11-12-1913 . Coal .
86. Sch . KITTY REEVES sank off East Tawas , 1870. Copper , $ 250,000 .
87. Stmr . REGINA sank 11-10-1913 off Port Sanilac .
88. Sch . D. P. RHODES stranded near Forty Mile Pt . , 10-19-1902 . Sal
vaged .
89. Stmr . RUSSIA foundered northwest of Port Austin , Mich . , 1909 , with
valuable cargo .
90. Stmr . SARONIC wrecked at Cockburn I. , 8-20-1916 . Salvaged .
91. Stmr . W. H. SAWYER sank about 100 yards outside breakwater at
Harbor Beach , Mich . , August , 1928 . 92. Stmr . ISAAC M. SCOTT vanished without a trace during the Great
Storm of November , 1913. Last seen a few miles north of Tawas Pt . Coal .
93. Barge PRAIRIE STATE stranded and wrecked at Harbor Beach ,
Mich . , 11-19-1879 .
94. Barge ST . CLAIR went ashore at Port Sanilac , Mich . , 10-2-1888 .
95. Sch . SULTAN wrecked at Port Hope , Mich . , 1873 .
96. Stmr . THOUSAND ISLANDER foundered about 26 mi . southeast of
Thunder Bay I. , 11-21-1927 . 97. Sch . TWILIGHT wrecked at Point aux Barques , Mich . , 11-15-1871 . 98. Stmr . MARY WARD wrecked on shoal two mi . from shore and
directly opposite Craigleith , Ont . Mixed cargo .
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99. Stmr . WILLIAM C. WARREN grounded off Rogers City , Mich . ,
November , 1947. Refloated in April , 1948 . 100. WAUBUNO reported to have grounded near Moose Pt . , 11-22-1879 .
General cargo . A trio of skin divers recently managed to get a safe
with quantity of coins out of her . 101. Stmr . WEXFORD foundered northwest of Kettle Pt . , Ont . , 11-11
1913. Steel rails .
102. Stmr . ANNIE YOUNG burned to water's edge and sank off Lexing
ton , Mich . , 10-20-1890 . Coal and merchandise valued at $ 30,000 . 103. Unknown wooden ship with cargo of iron ore lies in about 40 ft .
of water near Everens Pt . , St. Marys R.
LAKE MICHIGAN :
104. Stmr . H. C. ACKLEY foundered near Holland , Mich . , 11-12-1883 .
Grain .
105. Passenger steamer ALPENA lost 10-16-1880 . Wreckage drifted ashore
near Holland , Mich .
106. Stmr . ATLANTA burned and sank near Port Washington , 3-18-1906 . 107. Stmr . AUTRALASIA sank in Whitefish Bay , south of Jacksonport ,
Wis . , October , 1896. Coal . 108. Sch . BLAZING STAR wrecked on Fisherman Shoal east of Wash
ington I. , November 1887. Lumber . 109. CITY OF BOSTON stranded and wrecked near Frankfort , Mich . ,
11-17-1873 . 110. Freighter CARL D. BRADLEY foundered in the vicinity of Gull I. ,
11-18-1958 .
111. Sch . IDA MAY BROWN capsized and was washed ashore at Michi
gan City , 7-7-1895 .
112. Sch . WELLS BURT wrecked off Evanston , Ill . , 5-20-1883 . Coal .
113. Sch . L. C. BUTTS stranded at Washington I. , 11-12-1891 . Coal . 114. Stmr . CALIFORNIA foundered near Mackinaw City , Mich . , 10-4
1887. Salvaged and hull towed to Bay City . 115. Stmr . CALUMET foundered near Evanston , Ill . , 11-28-1889 . Vessel
and cargo , $ 108,000 . 116. Stmr . CAYUGO sank off Skilligalee , 5-10-1895 . Cargo of grain was
pumped out in unsuccessful effort to refloat the ship . 117. Stmr . CHICORA lost 1-21-1895 . Her spars drifted ashore between
South Haven and Saugatuck , Mich . Cargo valued at $ 175,000 . 118. Sch . CHURCHILL , ore - laden , foundered off Waukegan , Ill . , 10-13
1898 .
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