In Wisconsin, fishermen discover shipwreck that sank in the 19th century: it has special historical significance

In August 2023, fishermen from Peshtigo, Wisconsin, Tim Wallack and his daughter Hanley, discovered a sunken ship on Lake Michigan. Their sonar detected an unusual object, and they shared photos, suspecting that it might be a ship that sank in the 1871 fire.

This was reported by the Daily Mail.

The Wisconsin Historical Society learned about the discovery and, after an underwater remotely operated vehicle examined the site on December 4, confirmed that the object was indeed the remains of a three-masted wooden sailing ship submerged to a depth of about 3 meters. Archaeologists believe that this vessel is the George L. Newman, a 37-meter ship that sank during a devastating fire 152 years ago that killed up to 1,500 people.

"The George L. Newman was on its way from Detroit to Chicago when it was caught in the thick smoke of the Great Peshtigo Fire on October 8, 1871. The crew of the ship, trying to escape, ran aground on the southeastern point of Green Island. The lighthouse keeper rescued the crew, who stayed on the island for a week, salvaging what they could before abandoning the ship, which was eventually covered with sand and forgotten about.

Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist at the Wisconsin Historical Society, emphasized the importance of the find, noting that the ship, built in 1855, is quite old for Wisconsin shipwrecks. The connection to the Peshtigo fire gives it special historical significance.

Read also: A 2200-year-old tomb filled with ancient artifacts found in China (photos and video)

The Wisconsin Historical Society plans to re-survey the wreck next spring, possibly with a view to adding it to the National Register of Historic Places.

"I don't know how we're going to top it," said Tim Wallack, reflecting on their unique find, expressing his excitement at the possibility of discovering more shipwrecks in the future.

The Peshtigo Fire, considered the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history, was started by railroad workers clearing land for tracks. It quickly covered 1.5 million acres of land, burning parts of Door and Kewaunee counties and destroying Peshtigo within an hour.

As a reminder, archaeologists have found unique petroglyphs in the United States.

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