Steamboat Anthony Wayne located! Believed to be the oldest steamboat sunk in Lake Erie. Found with side scan sonar in September, 2006. Recent dives confirm the identity of a side wheel passenger steamboat.

 

The Nineties are now complete! All forty    1990 - 1999 Inlands Seas journals.

              The Inland Seas Archival Collection, Nineties Edition is now available.

One of the Great Lakes most valuable sources of historical information from The Great Lakes Historical Society. Ships, schooners, barges and sailors of our past in fascinating stories of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario including shipwreck and survival. Keep up to date on the latest developments in Ohio's underwater preserve efforts on the Features Page. An all new Side Scan Sonar page has also been added detailing survey information and underwater discoveries. Follow the activities of the US Revenue Cutter ERIE as she executes her duties on Lake Erie from 1833 - 1846
 

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Shipwrecks

Side Scan Sonar map of western Lake Erie including wrecks. This map is provided as a service to everyone interested in shipwreck search and discovery. Information provided here is collected from individuals and groups but has not been verified for completeness or accuracy. If you would like to contribute information on areas that have been searched by side scan sonar, please email the boundary limits of the search areas and they will be added to the map. Images of side scan discoveries will also be posted. Send the images and a brief description including credits that will be added to the picture.

The following list of shipwrecks have been identified sunk in western Lake Erie. Those highlighted in RED have been removed. Those highlighted in BLUE have been found. Please help make this list as accurate as possible. Your contributions are welcome.

Rig Name Cargo Disaster Month Year Found Location
Sch Beaver pelts wreck May 1771   below Sandusky
?? ??   burned   1812   Kelleys Island by American troops
Sch Sylph whiskey wreck May 1824   N. Bass Island
Sch Liberty mdse foundered November 1829   off Pelee Island Lighthouse Pt.
Sch Maria Antoinette salt wreck November 1829   Islands in Lake Erie (got off)
Sch Erie   sunk November 1829   cut by ice , on rocks W. side of S Bass Island
Sch Macedonian fish wreck November 1829   East Sister Island
Sch Lafayette Packet   wreck August 1830   S. Bass Island
Sch Guerirre gen mdse wreck May 1832   Bar Point
Sch La Grange mdse foundered November 1835   7 mi. S.E. of Wheatley
Sch Rainbow gen mdse wreck August 1837   S. Bass Island
Str  Niagara passengers sunk July  1837   sunk by Str Pennsylvania near Huron, later removed
Sch Martin Kingman gen mdse wreck April 1838   near Bar Point
Str Kent passengers sunk August 1845   sunk 5 mi. below T. Pelee by Str. London
Sch Texas   wreck May 1845   at S. Bass Island (still 1852)
Sch Lexington gold & whiskey wreck November 1846   west of Huron
Sch Uncle Sam lumber wreck December 1847   E. side of Kelleys Island
Sch Essex   wreck September 1848   off N. Bass Island
Stb  Anthony Wayne passengers exploded April 1850 * 6 mi. E. of Vermilion. Boilers blew and she sank
Sch Robert Burma (Burns) gen mdse wreck November 1850   East Sister Island, (towed to Malden)
Sch Moses and Elias gen mdse wreck April 1851   off Middle Bass Island
Sch E. G. Merrick mdse wreck October 1851   near Vermilion
Scow Anawan   foundered December 1851   10 miles northeast of Huron
Sch St. Mary   wreck April 1852   off Pelee Island
Sch F. C. Clark   wreck November 1852   at Middle Island (this is probably Middle Island, Lake Huron)
Sch Meyers supplies wreck November 1852   off Cedar Point
Str St. Louis rolling frt wreck November 1852 * Kelleys Island Shoal
Str Wisconsin gen mdse sunk August 1853 * by Str. Brunswick 1 mi. E. of West Sister
Str America passengers wreck April 1854 * off Pelee Island E. side
Sch Florence   foundered December 1854   off Kelleys Island (raised)
Sch Francis unknown foundered December 1854   2 miles E of Harve
Sch Homen (Home)   wreck December 1854   off S. Bass Island
Sch H. R. Seymour wheat sunk November 1852   at Rattlesnake Island
Str Mayflower passengers burned November 1854   off Pt. Pelee
Bark C. A. Bemis coal sunk October 1854   sunk near Pt. Pelee by Bark Carolina
Sch Petrel coal foundered  October 1854   Bar Point
Sch Visitor gen mdse foundered May 1855   off West Sister
Sch Pearl gen mdse wreck November 1855