The wreck was located approximately 60 miles (~97km) northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior. Utilising Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar aboard their research vessel, the David Boyd, the GLSHS team made the initial discovery in late summer 2024. Subsequent deployments of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) confirmed the ship's identity, revealing that the vessel had broken in two, with the bow section resting atop the stern in approximately 600ft (~183m) of water.

Historical context

Launched in 1890, the Western Reserve was among the first all-steel vessels on the Great Lakes, earning the nickname "the inland greyhound" for its speed and deemed one of the safest ships afloat. Owned by Captain Peter G. Minch, a prominent shipping magnate, the vessel embarked on a late-summer voyage in August 1892, carrying Minch, his family and crew members. 

After encountering rough weather upon entering Lake Superior, the ship began to break apart and sank rapidly on the evening of 30 August 1892. Of the 32 people on board, only one, wheelsman Harry W. Stewart of Algonac, Michigan, survived.

Significance of the discovery

The identification of the Western Reserve's wreck provides closure to a long-standing maritime mystery and offers valuable insights into early steel shipbuilding practices on the Great Lakes. The GLSHS plans to continue studying the wreck to uncover more details about the vessel's construction and the circumstances surrounding its sinking.

“Every shipwreck has its own story, but some are just that much more tragic. It is hard to imagine that Captain Peter G. Minch would have foreseen any trouble when he invited his wife, two young children and sister-in-law with her daughter aboard the Western Reserve for a summer cruise up the lakes. It just reinforces how dangerous the Great Lakes can be…any time of year.”

— Bruce Lynn, GLSHS Executive Director