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Deep in Lake Huron, Michigan, USA, a surprising discovery has revealed an intact 129-year-old vessel, preserved by the cold, fresh waters of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, an area also known as “Shipwreck Alley”.
More than 200 boats rest at the bottom of this lake, victims of the violent winds that ravage the region, and the Ironton, a 191-foot wooden barge, is now part of this intriguing underwater scene.
The announcement, made by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on March 1st, came with a surprise: the Ironton was found virtually undamaged, with her three masts still standing and one lifeboat still attached to the vessel.
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This discovery is a silent testament to the tragedy that occurred in 1894, when the ship collided with another freighter, the Ohio, and quickly sank, taking five crew members with it.
How the Ironton shipwreck happened
The sinking occurred in September 1894, when the Ironton and the Moonlight, another vessel, were being towed by a steamer to the port city of Marquette, Michigan.
The practice of towing ships Steam powered was common at the time, similar to how locomotives pull freight cars on railroad tracks. However, a failure in the steamship's engine and the region's strong winds put the vessels in danger.
When the tow line broke, the Ironton drifted and collided with the Ohio, which was carrying 1.000 tons of flour. With a hole in its bow, the Ironton began to sink rapidly.
The crew attempted to launch the lifeboat, but the rope holding it to the ship was not untied in time, condemning most of the crew to death. Only two men managed to cling to the wreckage and survive until they were rescued by a nearby boat.
Perfectly preserved
Ironton remained a mystery for more than 120 years until, in 2019, researchers from the marine sanctuary, in partnership with the Ocean Exploration Trust, discovered its location using sonar imagery.
The expedition, led by the same group that found the Titanic in 1985, was able to map the wreckage of the ship in detail. The cold waters of Lake Huron preserved the vessel “beautifully,” according to the NOAA statement.
Jeff Gray, superintendent of the sanctuary, described the discovery as a “moment frozen in time“He noted that the presence of the lifeboat still tied to the ship is a stark reminder of the tragedy that unfolded on that fateful night.
The Legacy of the Thunder Bay Shipwrecks
Unlike many other shipwrecks in the region, which have suffered the effects of time and underwater conditions, the Ironton remains remarkably intact, a stunning testament to the preserving power of Lake Huron's cold waters.
The marine sanctuary is already a popular destination for divers and snorkelers, and NOAA plans to install a buoy to mark the wreck site and ensure visitors can explore it safely.
Now, with the announcement of the Ironton's discovery, researchers hope the wreck can serve as an educational tool, offering a window into the past and an opportunity to better understand the history and challenges faced by sailors who plied the Great Lakes.
For Jeff Gray and his team, the sinking of the Ironton is not just about the vessel itself, but also about the human lives that were lost in that tragic event.
"Archaeologists study things to learn about the past, but it's not really things we're studying; it's people.,” Gray said. The lifeboat, still attached to the ship, is a silent symbol of the lives cut short by the relentless force of Lake Huron.
