Ghost Ship Discovered 132 Years After Vanishing In The Depths Of 'Shipwreck Coast'

After more than a century, the wreckage of a long-lost ship has finally been discovered, putting an end to one of the Great Lakes' most haunting maritime mysteries.

Back in 1892, the Western Reserve was making its way across Lake Superior, heading toward Two Harbors, Minnesota. It was expected to complete its journey without issue.

However, the 300-foot steel steamer—one of the earliest fully steel-built ships to sail the Great Lakes—never reached its destination. Instead, it vanished beneath the waves, leaving behind a legacy of speculation and mystery.

Onboard the ship were 28 people, including the vessel's owner, millionaire Captain Peter G. Minch, along with his family.

The journey had been smooth until the ship approached Whitefish Bay. At that point, the crew made the decision to drop anchor and wait, hoping to ride out the strong winds that had picked up.

But on the evening of August 30, 1892, at around 9 p.m., the Western Reserve found itself overwhelmed by the worsening weather conditions. The ship began to take on water, and before long, it started its tragic descent into the depths.

The Western Reserve was owned by Captain Peter G. Minch Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

As disaster struck, those onboard scrambled to evacuate. The crew managed to lower two lifeboats into the water, offering a glimmer of hope for survival. However, the situation quickly turned more dire.

One of the lifeboats was tragically overturned, plunging many of the crew members into the cold, dark waters. Then, as the hours dragged on, the second lifeboat met a similar fate, leaving just a single survivor: Harry W. Stewart.

Now, 132 years after that fateful night, the wreckage of the Western Reserve has finally been found, bringing long-awaited answers to one of the Great Lakes' most tragic maritime losses.

Using advanced sonar technology, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) first detected the shipwreck last year. However, it was only recently confirmed that the remains belonged to the Western Reserve.

The wreck was discovered roughly 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan, deep in the frigid waters of Lake Superior—recognized as the largest freshwater lake in the world.

GLSHS Executive Director Bruce Lynn reflected on the significance of this discovery and the heartbreaking circumstances that led to the ship’s demise: "Every shipwreck has its own story, but some are just that much more tragic."

"It is hard to imagine that Captain Peter G. Minch would have foreseen any trouble when he invited his wife, two young children and sister-in-law with her daughter aboard the Western Reserve for a summer cruise up the lakes. It just reinforces how dangerous the Great Lakes can be… any time of year."

The wreckage took years to find The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society

For two years, Director of Marine Operations Darryl Ertel and his brother, First Mate Dan Ertel, dedicated themselves to locating the long-lost Western Reserve. Their search was painstaking and filled with challenges, but their persistence finally paid off.

"We side-scan looking out a half mile per side and we caught an image on our port side," Darryl recalled.

"It was very small looking out that far, but I measured the shadow, and it came up about 40 feet."

"So we went back over the top of the ship and saw that it had cargo hatches, and it looked like it was broken in two, one half on top of the other and each half measured with the side scan 150 feet long and then we measured the width and it was right on so we knew that we'd found the Western Reserve."