Wreck of the Western Reserve, Lost Since 1892. Twenty-Seven Gone, One Survivor

Wreck of the Western Reserve, Lost Since 1892, Discovered in Lake Superior by Shipwreck Society

Twenty-Seven Gone, One Survivor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

After 132 years, the final resting place of the 300’ steel steamer Western Reserve has been discovered roughly 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior.

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS), using Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar aboard the non-profit’s research vessel, David  Boyd, made the initial discovery in late summer 2024. Subsequent ROV (remotely operated vehicle) deployments confirmed the identity of the shipwreck, revealing a ship broken in two, with the bow section resting on top of the stern in approximately 600’ of water. Director of Marine Operations, Darryl Ertel, recalls “Knowing how the 300-foot Western Reserve was caught in a storm this far from shore made a uneasy feeling in the back of my neck, a squall can
come up unexpectedly…anywhere, and anytime.”

The Western Reserve was a very important ship in her time. She was one of the first all-steel vessels on the Great Lakes, she was built to break cargo shipping records and was deemed one of the safest ships afloat. One newspaper called her “the inland greyhound” for her outright speed on the lakes. Western Reserve was owned by millionaire Captain Peter G. Minch, a highly respected shipping magnate. Captain Minch took a large part of his young family aboard his ship (under command of Captain Albert Myer) for a late-summer cruise up through Lake Huron enroute to Two Harbors, MN. The weather was pleasant until they reached Whitefish Bay, when rough weather led the crew to drop anchor to await better conditions. They soon weighed anchor and steamed into Lake Superior, a gale overtook the ship and at around 9:00pm, August 30, 1892, the Western Reserve started to break up and sink.

The Minch family and the Western Reserve crew safely boarded and launched the vessel’s two lifeboats. Almost immediately, one lifeboat overturned and many of the ship’s crew disappeared. The remaining lifeboat occupants recovered only two of the crewmen. Within ten minutes the big ship was gone, leaving one lifeboat with Minch family and the remaining crew aboard. They would be in the gale and darkness for the next ten hours. Salvation was near at hand when a steamship passed them in the night. They screamed for a half-hour, but with no flares…they were not seen. At about 7:30am the next morning, they were within one mile of the shoreline west of the Deer Park Life-Saving Station (Lake Superior’s southeastern shoreline), when the lifeboat overturned in the breakers. Only one survivor,
Wheelsman Harry W. Stewart of Algonac, Michigan, lived to tell the tale.