Sunken Secrets

Off the coast of Wisconsin lies an unusual underwater “museum.” At least 36 shipwrecks sit at the bottom of a 962-square-mile area of Lake Michigan. And experts believe there could be dozens more waiting to be discovered.

Last year, the area was officially designated the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. 

A marine sanctuary is an area of water protected by the U.S. government. Experts hope this designation will keep Lake Michigan’s shipwrecks safe for future generations.

“Marine sanctuaries are underwater parks that people can explore and learn from,” says Russ Green. He’s a scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “These historic shipwrecks tell America’s story.”

The ships in the sanctuary date back as far as the mid-1800s. At that time, many American settlers were moving westward in search of new opportunities. The Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan, were a key passageway for shipping goods across the expanding country. As more ships used the lakes as a transportation route, accidents became more common. 

The cold, fresh water of Lake Michigan has preserved many of the shipwrecks. Some look almost as they did when they sank! Green says that makes them unique time capsules with the power to connect people with the past. 

“Shipwrecks hold secrets,” he says. “Want to travel into the past? A shipwreck can help you do that.”