The Frank D. Barker sank after hitting a rocky outcrop in thick fog in 1887 and has rested in 24 feet of water off the coast of Wisconsin ever since.
Matt Olson/Wisconsin ShipwrecksParts of the Frank D. Barker's ship's ceiling underwater.
The story of the discovery began unexpectedly. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, Matt Olson, owner of Door County Adventure Rafting, was studying satellite images of Lake Michigan to plan a rafting trip when he noticed a mysterious darkening near Rawleys Bay. Having spotted two other vessels before, Olson went to check out the find.
“I was analyzing images of coastal waters and completely by accident I saw an unusual object. At first I wasn't even sure it was a ship,” he shared with WLUK.
There were barely noticeable traces of a shipwreck at the site.
“We were amazed that such a large vessel in 20 feet of water remained undetected,” Olson told All That's Interesting.
He contacted the Wisconsin Historical Society, which organized a diving expedition to identify the find.
Wisconsin Historical SocietyLarge structural elements of the ship preserved underwater.
For a century, the ship was forgotten. The fragments visible from the surface did not attract attention because of the dangerous limestone foundation.
Now the story of emFrank D. Barker/em has reached its conclusion. It joins a list of recent Great Lakes finds, including the tugboat John Evenson (1895) and the steamship Western Reserve, which sank while cruising Lake Superior in 1892.
Every wreck is unique, and Olson is proud to have been part of the discovery.
“It’s incredible to find such a large, preserved object after years of neglect,” he said. “It’s an honor to help preserve Wisconsin’s maritime heritage.”
The researcher is confident that the future will bring new discoveries.
“As technology advances, we are bound to find many more sunken ships,” he told All That's Interesting.
After learning about the 138-year-old Michigan shipwreck, explore the stories of other famous maritime disasters. Or read about the Andrea Gail tragedy (1991), which inspired the film The Perfect Storm.
Sourse: www.allthatsinteresting.com
