The cold freshwater in Lake Huron kept the sunken ship Ironton intact for over a century — including all three of its masts and a lifeboat that took five lives — but also brought the ship’s destruction.
The Ironton sank in September 1894 after colliding with a steamer ship named the Ohio. The sunken ship had been missing for around 120 years with only rumors of its location. Recently, researchers from the state of Michigan, the Ocean Exploration Trust and NOAA discovered the ship in what is known as Shipwreck Alley.
“Discoveries like this are fascinating because they connect people to Michigan’s long history of maritime innovation and commerce. The more we discover, the more we understand the lives of the men and women who worked the Great Lakes,” says Sandra Clark, director of Michigan History Center and co-manager of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in a statement.
Thunder Bay ...
