Western Reserve Shipwreck Discovered in Lake Superior

The wreckage of the Western Reserve, one of the first all-steel cargo ships, was discovered in Lake Superior by explorers from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in July, almost 132 years after it sank. The ship, owned by Peter Minch, was considered technologically advanced for its time but cracked in half during a gale in August 1892, leading to the deaths of 27 people, including the Minch family. The only survivor was Harry W. Stewart. The discovery was announced at the annual Ghost Ships Festival in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Darryl Ertel and Dan Ertel led the two-year search using side-scanning sonar and a submersible drone to confirm the identity of the wreckage. The well-preserved state of the ship in the frigid freshwater provides valuable historical insight into early steel shipbuilding, with comparisons drawn to the Titanium's similar steel hull.