Twenty years before the Titanic made headlines, another ship was making waves on the Great Lakes. The Western Reserve, an all-steel cargo ship, set sail in August 1892, aiming to break speed records. This 300-foot freighter was hailed as one of the safest vessels of its time. Owner Peter Minch was so proud of the ship that he took his family on a summer trip. Tragically, this joyride would end in disaster.
On August 30, as the Western Reserve entered Lake Superior’s Whitefish Bay, a sudden gale struck. With no cargo on board, the ship was riding high in the water. The storm was fierce, and the ship broke apart, claiming the lives of 27 people, including the Minch family. The only survivor was wheelsman Harry W. Stewart, who managed to swim a mile to safety after his lifeboat capsized.
For over 130 years, the wreck of the Western Reserve lay hidden beneath the lake. In July, explorers from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society finally located the ship off Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They announced the discovery at the Ghost Ships Festival in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Bruce Lynn, the executive director of the society, highlighted the importance of the find. He noted that the Western Reserve was a technologically advanced ship for its time, marking a shift from wooden to steel vessels. The Minch family was well-known, adding a personal story to the tragedy.
The search for the Western Reserve took over two years. Darryl and Dan Ertel, from the society, used a research vessel called the David Boyd and a side-scanning sonar array to explore the lake. On July 22, they discovered a large object in 600 feet of water, which they later confirmed as the wreck of the Western Reserve.
Eight days later, they returned with a submersible drone. The drone captured images of a portside running light that matched a similar light that had washed ashore in Canada after the ship sank. This was the confirmation they needed.
Darryl Ertel expressed mixed feelings about the discovery, noting the unease of knowing how the ship met its fate so far from shore. The wreck itself appeared to be well-preserved in the cold waters of the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes are notorious for their dangers, often more treacherous than the ocean. Thousands of ships have been lost since the 1700s, with the Edmund Fitzgerald being one of the most famous tragedies. This ore carrier sank in 1975 during a storm, with all hands lost, a story immortalized in song.
According to Wisconsin State Climatologist Ed Hopkins, storms on the Great Lakes can be particularly dangerous, especially in November when warm water meets cold air. However, the storm that sank the Western Reserve in August was considered relatively minor.
Some experts believe that the ship’s steel hull may have been too brittle to withstand the storm, contributing to its sinking. The same type of steel was used in the Titanic, raising questions about its safety in harsh conditions.
The discovery of the Western Reserve not only sheds light on a forgotten piece of maritime history but also serves as a reminder of the perils that exist on the Great Lakes.