Shipwreck Discovered On Lake Michigan Shore In Leelanau County

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A shipwreck discovered on a Lake Michigan beach may be from the mid-1800's.

It is just north of Glen Arbor and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along the Manitou Passage in Leelanau County, and it is drawing attention from the state's underwater archaeologist, Wayne Lusardi.

Ward Lamphere found the wreck while walking on the beach in front of his condo at the Homestead Resort.

Lamphere called the chairman of the board for Friends of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Kerry Kelly also volunteers with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Museum and helps to document wrecks like this one.

Laura Quackenbush, a museum technician and maritime historian at the National Lakeshore says that it's not uncommon to find things like this along the beach on the Manitou passage. The shallow bottom created shipwrecks like this often. They can't determine what ship this belongs to, but it could be related to a fragment found a few years ago in Port Oneida. The location of the ship is on The Homestead property. The Homestead asks that for anyone interested in seeing the wreck to get to the beach at public access points in Glen Arbor and walk north to the shipwreck. Streets the dead-end at the beach, such as Bay Lane in Glen Arbor, are options for people who want to see the wreck. Once you get to the beach, head North. Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve. If you do go out to see it, be respectful and do not touch it. It is illegal to touch this shipwreck or tamper with it in any way. It is a part of the. If you do go out to see it, be respectful and do not touch it. 9&10's Marisa McKay and photojournalist Jeremy Erickson were at the discovery site today and have more on what happens next for this historical artifact. Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes organization, and the Museum of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. These links will provide more information about theorganization, and the