Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is the third largest Great Lake and is the only Great Lake that is completely located within the United States. Lake Michigan's surface area is 22,278 square miles and it is 307 miles long. On average it is around 279 feet deep but at it's deepest it is 925 feet deep. Twenty percent of all of the Great Lakes Shipwrecks are in Lake Michigan.
Most Famous:
1. Rouse Simmons - known as the Christmas Tree Ship. Lost in a storm on November 12, 1912. All hands on board perished.
2. Eastland - passenger liner, often called "Chicago's Titanic", that rolled over and sank while docked in the Chicago River. At a loss of 835 lives, this wreck remains the worst disaster in Great Lakes history.
3. Carl D. Bradley - The largest ship, 640 feet, that sank in the Great Lakes. This ship split in two and sank during a violent storm November 17, 1958.
Online Resources:
www.michiganshipwrecks.org = A great website developed by the Michigan Shipwrecks Research Association. Offers menu of shipwrecks in Lake Michigan and the opportunity to contact the developers with any questions that their site did not answer.
www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org = An interactive website that allows you to explore Lake Michigan shipwrecks.
www.in.gov/dnr/shipwreck/shipwrecks.html = A website developed by the Indiana Depatment of Natural Resources that highlights shipwrecks on Indiana's Lake Michigan coast.
Books:
Lost and Found: Legendary Lake Michigan Shipwrecks
by V. O. Heest
ISBN: 9780980175059
Abstract: The Titanic sank in 1912 and the stories of amazing survival and tragic loss made the ocean liner famous. Titanic's discovery in 1985—and the images captured of the grand staircase, the pilothouse, and the dripping rusticles—made Titanic legendary. Likewise, the many shipwrecks presented in Lost and Found became even more famous after their discoveries than at the time of their losses, gaining notoriety as historic attractions, archaeological sites, and in some cases, over bold salvage attempts or precedent- setting legal battles. Through riveting narrative, the award-winning author and explorer takes the readers back in time to experience the careers and tragic sinkings of these ships, then beneath the lake to participate in the triumphant discovery and exciting exploration of their remains and the circumstances that led to their status as legendary shipwrecks. (Barnes and Noble book description)
Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan
by Benjamin J. Shelak
ISBN: 9781931599214
Abstract: An excellent addition to any maritime history collection! Vintage maps and illustrations, historic photos, and detailed charts highlight this extensive volume. Featured are detailed accounts of disasters involving significant loss of life or property, or those that were particularly harrowing. This is the most comprehensive, accurate collection of information ever compiled about the legendary wrecks on Lake Michigan from 1800 to present. (Amazon book description)
Lost Passenger Steamships of Lake Michigan
by Ted St Mane
ISBN: 9781596299429
Abstract: From the arrival of the first steamship to Lake Michigan in 1821 through the turbulent booms and busts of more than 130 years, passenger steamers of this bygone era provided an essential link for immigrants, excursionists, businesspeople and leisure travelers. On offer were dining, dancing, day trips and luxurious shipboard settings, but mishaps like storms, fires and shipwrecks were a persistent danger to passengers and crew alike. Through fascinating tales and splendid images, Lost Passenger Steamships of Lake Michigan presents the romantic and sometimes dangerous story of a vanished industry that once connected communities all long Lake Michigan's shores. (Amazon book description)
Wreck of the Carl D.: a true story of loss, survival, and rescue at sea
by Michael Schumacher
ISBN: 9781596914841
Abstract: At approximately 5:30 P.M. on November 18, 1958, the Carl D. Bradley, a 623-foot limestone carrier caught in one of the most violent storms in Lake Michigan history, snapped in two and sank within minutes. Four of the thirty-five man crew escaped to a small raft, where they hung on in total darkness, braving massive waves and frigid temperatures. As the storm raged on, a search-and-rescue mission hunted for survivors, while the frantic citizens of nearby Rogers City, the tiny Michigan hometown to twenty-six members of the Bradley crew, anxiously awaited word of their loved ones’ fates. (Amazon book description)
Videos:
Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan (1912-1958)
Southport Video
Abstract: An one hour program detailing the stories of 8 prominent Lake Michigan shipwrecks: Rouse Simmons, Eastland, Lakeland, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Senator, Prince Wilhelm V, and the Carl D. Bradley.
Most Famous:
1. Rouse Simmons - known as the Christmas Tree Ship. Lost in a storm on November 12, 1912. All hands on board perished.
2. Eastland - passenger liner, often called "Chicago's Titanic", that rolled over and sank while docked in the Chicago River. At a loss of 835 lives, this wreck remains the worst disaster in Great Lakes history.
3. Carl D. Bradley - The largest ship, 640 feet, that sank in the Great Lakes. This ship split in two and sank during a violent storm November 17, 1958.
Online Resources:
www.michiganshipwrecks.org = A great website developed by the Michigan Shipwrecks Research Association. Offers menu of shipwrecks in Lake Michigan and the opportunity to contact the developers with any questions that their site did not answer.
www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org = An interactive website that allows you to explore Lake Michigan shipwrecks.
www.in.gov/dnr/shipwreck/shipwrecks.html = A website developed by the Indiana Depatment of Natural Resources that highlights shipwrecks on Indiana's Lake Michigan coast.
Books:
Lost and Found: Legendary Lake Michigan Shipwrecks
by V. O. Heest
ISBN: 9780980175059
Abstract: The Titanic sank in 1912 and the stories of amazing survival and tragic loss made the ocean liner famous. Titanic's discovery in 1985—and the images captured of the grand staircase, the pilothouse, and the dripping rusticles—made Titanic legendary. Likewise, the many shipwrecks presented in Lost and Found became even more famous after their discoveries than at the time of their losses, gaining notoriety as historic attractions, archaeological sites, and in some cases, over bold salvage attempts or precedent- setting legal battles. Through riveting narrative, the award-winning author and explorer takes the readers back in time to experience the careers and tragic sinkings of these ships, then beneath the lake to participate in the triumphant discovery and exciting exploration of their remains and the circumstances that led to their status as legendary shipwrecks. (Barnes and Noble book description)
Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan
by Benjamin J. Shelak
ISBN: 9781931599214
Abstract: An excellent addition to any maritime history collection! Vintage maps and illustrations, historic photos, and detailed charts highlight this extensive volume. Featured are detailed accounts of disasters involving significant loss of life or property, or those that were particularly harrowing. This is the most comprehensive, accurate collection of information ever compiled about the legendary wrecks on Lake Michigan from 1800 to present. (Amazon book description)
Lost Passenger Steamships of Lake Michigan
by Ted St Mane
ISBN: 9781596299429
Abstract: From the arrival of the first steamship to Lake Michigan in 1821 through the turbulent booms and busts of more than 130 years, passenger steamers of this bygone era provided an essential link for immigrants, excursionists, businesspeople and leisure travelers. On offer were dining, dancing, day trips and luxurious shipboard settings, but mishaps like storms, fires and shipwrecks were a persistent danger to passengers and crew alike. Through fascinating tales and splendid images, Lost Passenger Steamships of Lake Michigan presents the romantic and sometimes dangerous story of a vanished industry that once connected communities all long Lake Michigan's shores. (Amazon book description)
Wreck of the Carl D.: a true story of loss, survival, and rescue at sea
by Michael Schumacher
ISBN: 9781596914841
Abstract: At approximately 5:30 P.M. on November 18, 1958, the Carl D. Bradley, a 623-foot limestone carrier caught in one of the most violent storms in Lake Michigan history, snapped in two and sank within minutes. Four of the thirty-five man crew escaped to a small raft, where they hung on in total darkness, braving massive waves and frigid temperatures. As the storm raged on, a search-and-rescue mission hunted for survivors, while the frantic citizens of nearby Rogers City, the tiny Michigan hometown to twenty-six members of the Bradley crew, anxiously awaited word of their loved ones’ fates. (Amazon book description)
Videos:
Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan (1912-1958)
Southport Video
Abstract: An one hour program detailing the stories of 8 prominent Lake Michigan shipwrecks: Rouse Simmons, Eastland, Lakeland, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Senator, Prince Wilhelm V, and the Carl D. Bradley.