A long-lost shipwreck hidden in the depths of Lake Michigan has recently been discovered by a team of maritime experts — nearly 130 years after it sank. The Wisconsin Historical Society announced the discovery of the John Evenson, a tugboat built in 1884, in a Facebook post on Sept. 20. The vessel sank during an ill-fated trip in June 1895. Two maritime historians named Brendon Baillod and Robert Jaeck initially discovered the shipwreck using historical newspaper accounts and sonar images that led them to the vessel, which sat 42 feet below the surface. The John Evenson was originally used to locate and salvage wrecked ships, tow other vessels, and break ice on the lake.
The tragic sinking of the John Evenson occurred while the vessel was sailing after receiving some repairs, with its captain deciding to return to work. Waiting outside the Sturgeon Bay Ship canal for the next ship needing assistance, the John Evenson was signaled by the steambarge I. Watson Stephenson with two barges in tow. As the tug attempted to take a line from the ship, it crossed the bow of the Stephenson, which was travelling fast and collided with the John Evenson, causing it to flip over and sink in just three minutes. Four out of the five crew members managed to escape, while the ship’s engineer was killed, with his remains washing ashore about a month later, not associated with the shipwreck site.
The recent discovery of the John Evenson is not the first time divers have searched for the sunken tugboat. The ship’s owners had previously attempted to find it but abandoned their mission due to insurance reasons. As the owners had received an insurance payout declaring the ship as a total loss, if they were to raise and salvage the ship, the insurance underwriters could claim ownership. Consequently, the John Evenson remained at the bottom of Lake Michigan, undiscovered for over a century. Maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen explained that the John Evenson was not a cargo ship, but a tugboat that was used for towing vessels into Sturgeon Bay, breaking ice, and assisting stranded ships on the lake.
The discovery of the John Evenson shipwreck is a significant find in maritime history, shedding light on the ill-fated journey that led to its sinking in 1895. The two maritime historians who discovered the wreck used historical records and sonar images to track down the vessel, hidden 42 feet below the surface of Lake Michigan. The tragic circumstances leading to the ship’s sinking, caused by a collision with another vessel, resulted in the loss of one crew member, whose remains were found a month later. The ongoing efforts to uncover lost shipwrecks in the Great Lakes region provide valuable insights into the history of maritime navigation and trade in the area.
Despite previous attempts by the ship’s owners to locate and salvage the John Evenson, the insurance implications led to the abandonment of the mission, leaving the tugboat untouched at the bottom of Lake Michigan for decades. The recent discovery of the shipwreck highlights the challenges faced by maritime archaeologists and historians in uncovering lost vessels and understanding the circumstances surrounding their demise. As more shipwrecks are discovered and investigated in the Great Lakes region, new information is revealed about the lives of sailors, the dangers of maritime travel, and the technological advancements of the time. The preservation of these sunken ships serves as a reminder of the rich maritime history of the area and the stories waiting to be uncovered beneath the waters of the Great Lakes.
