Wollak said he had occasionally come across lost vessels, mostly an odd row boat, but he had never before seen one so large. More than 3,000 vessels have been lost in Lake Michigan, said Brendon Baillod, president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association. The Great Lakes served as a vital commercial hub in the 19th century, providing a shipping passageway to the East Coast via the Erie Canal. What do you think it is? he said in a recent interview. I immediately said, Henley, come over here and take a look at this. Then a cluster of long, slender objects edged into view, forming a pattern far too regular to have been fashioned by erosion or waves. The sky was blue and the waters flat and calm, perfect conditions for them to explore the shallows of the bay and look for walleyes, large-eyed game fish common in Lake Michigan.īut then, about three hours into their jaunt, Wollak, a 36-year-old medical devices salesperson, and Henley, who was two days away from her 5th birthday, found their lives intersecting with history.Ī shipwreck from the 1871 Peshtigo fire was about to reveal itself.Īs they chugged along the shoals of Green Island, their boats sonar delivered images of shadows, sand and indistinct rock features on the bay floor about 10 feet below them.

13, they set out in their 22-foot boat from the eastern shore of Wisconsin. It began as a typical summer outing for Tim Wollak and his daughter, Henley, 4.

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