In 1894, the schooner Ironton collided with another vessel on Lake Huron and sank, taking all five crew members with it. For over a century, the wreck remained undiscovered, its exact location a mystery.
In 2019, researchers from the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, along with partners, located the Ironton resting upright on the lakebed, with all three masts still standing. The discovery was announced in 2021, after the wreck was fully documented using sonar and remotely operated vehicles.
The Ironton was found in about 500 feet of water, remarkably well-preserved due to the cold, fresh water. The vessel was a 191-foot schooner that had been carrying coal when it collided with the steamer Ohio. The Ohio survived, but the Ironton sank quickly.
The discovery has provided valuable insights into 19th-century shipping and the dangers of the Great Lakes. The wreck is now part of the sanctuary's efforts to preserve and interpret the region's maritime heritage.
