Lost Shipwreck Ironton discovered

National Marine Sanctuary Researchers Discover a Lost Shipwreck in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

- Stephanie Gandulla

Researchers from NOAA, the state of Michigan, and Ocean Exploration Trust have discovered an intact shipwreck resting hundreds of feet below the surface of Lake Huron. Located within NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the shipwreck has been identified as the sailing ship Ironton. Magnificently preserved by the cold freshwater of the Great Lakes for over a century, the 191 foot (58m) Ironton rests upright with its three masts still standing.

In September 1894, Ironton sank in a collision that took the lives of five of the ship's crew. Accounts from the wreck's two survivors provide details about the loss of the vessel in "Shipwreck Alley"— an area of Lake Huron known for its treacherous waters that have claimed the lives of many sailors.

Although contemporary reports and eye-witness accounts describe the general area of