A remarkable discovery occurred recently in Wisconsin, where researchers uncovered a “ghost ship” that had been submerged in Lake Michigan for almost 140 years. The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) made the announcement on September 15.
In a press release provided to Fox News Digital, officials confirmed the identity of the wreck as the F.J. King, a schooner that sank during a fierce storm off the shores of Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, back in 1886.
The F.J. King earned its ghost ship nickname due to its mysterious disappearance.
“For 139 years, the F.J. King was one of the most elusive ships on Lake Michigan, with numerous searches launched since the 1970s,” noted the WHS.
Local fishermen reported finding wreckage in their nets, and the lighthouse keeper claimed to have seen the ship’s masts protruding above the water. However, divers and shipwreck hunters consistently turned up nothing.
This latest search included the involvement of 20 citizen scientists and community historians.
Brendon Baillod, the lead investigator and president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association (WUAA), viewed the discovery as an unlikely outcome.
Yet, just two hours into their search on Lake Michigan, the team spotted a large object on their sidescan sonar.
“We had to pinch ourselves,” recalled Baillod, who has archived extensive documents about the ship and its fate.
“After the many previous attempts, we couldn’t believe we had actually found it so quickly,” he said.
The F.J. King was constructed in Ohio in 1867 and measured 144 feet in length. It was originally designed for transporting grain and iron ore prior to its sinking during the infamous storm of 1886. It’s noteworthy that every member of the ship’s crew was rescued when it sank.
According to Baillod, the historical ship is in unexpectedly good condition given the weight of its cargo.
“We theorize that the captain might have been disoriented in the darkness at 2 a.m., but the lighthouse keeper’s account regarding the masts likely holds accuracy,” Baillod explained.
“The hull of the ship remains impressively intact,” he stated. “We anticipated it would be in ruins due to the iron ore’s weight, yet the hull appears to be remarkably whole.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Baillod for additional insights.
This recent find is part of a series of shipwreck discoveries facilitated by the WHS over recent months.
Earlier this summer, researchers located the L.W. Crane, a shipwreck dating back to 1880, in the Fox River near Oshkosh.
Furthermore, a Wisconsin fisherman stumbled upon a tugboat named the J.C. Ames near Manitowoc’s coast this spring.
