Reading: ‘Ghost’ ship found in US lake after 139 years

‘Ghost’ ship found in US lake after 139 years

Last updated: 2025/10/02 at 7:30 PM

News Room Published 2 October 2025

The F.J. King had been missing for 139 years but now researchers from the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association have found what had become one of the most elusive shipwrecks in Lake Michigan. And to find it, researchers looked back at an account of the sinking from a local lighthouse keeper rather than that of the ship’s captain, which proved to be the key. So what happened? (Picture: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Researchers find ?ghost? ship in Lake Michigan after 139 years — The F.J. King was a 144-foot-long, three-masted wooden schooner built in Toledo, Ohio, in 1867. It sank into Lake Michigan in 1886 after it foundered in a storm off Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin. For over 50 years, it was the subject of an intense search, with one dive club even offering a $1,000 award for its discovery (Picture: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Researchers find ?ghost? ship in Lake Michigan after 139 years — It took principal investigator Brendon Baillod, as well as 20 citizen scientists and community historians from around the Midwest, a couple of hours to find it – even though they thought it was a lost cause. In fact, Mr Baillod was so sure the team would not find it, he used the search as a way for him and his team to learn and test sidescan sonar and remote-operated vehicle (ROV) technology. Then, just two hours into the search, the team saw a large object on their video screen, which turned out to be a clear view of the F.J. King’s hatches (Picture: Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association)

Researchers find ?ghost? ship in Lake Michigan after 139 years — Mr Baillod said: ‘A few of us had to pinch each other. After all the previous searches, we couldn’t believe we had actually found it, and so quickly’. They have a long-deceased lighthouse keeper to thank for their incredible discovery. The F.J. King had almost a 20-year career hauling grain and iron until one day strong winds and seas up to 10 feet caused the ship’s seams to burst open (Picture: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Researchers find ?ghost? ship in Lake Michigan after 139 years — The captain, William Griffin, tried to run with the wind and the crew spent several hours working pumps to keep water out as the ship headed for the North Bay, but about five miles from harbor the water proved too much and Griffin called for the crew to abandoned ship, escaping to the nearby ship La Petite (Picture: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Researchers find ?ghost? ship in Lake Michigan after 139 years — It took the ship 28 minutes to sink, and reports from the night say that the stern deckhouse blew off, sending papers and debris high into the air while the entire crew watched on. A few days later, Captain William Sanderson, who was a keeper of the Cana Island Lighthouse, reported the tops of the ship masts were protruding from the water and a crew was sent out to remove them. So after looking through the newspaper clippings, reports and original documents of the event, as well as double checking where past searchers looked, Mr Baillod ascertained the best place to go hunting (Picture: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Researchers find ?ghost? ship in Lake Michigan after 139 years — Mr Baillod said: ‘We reasoned that the captain may not have known where he was in the 2am darkness, but the lighthouse keepers’ course and distance to the masts were probably accurate.’ The ship was located less than half a mile from the light keeper’s account. Mr Baillod said: ‘The hull is remarkably intact. We expected her to be in pieces due to the weight of the iron ore cargo, but her hull looks to be in one piece’ (Picture: Wisconsin Historical Society)

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