Fisherman Finds Historic Shipwreck in Lake Michigan Near Manitowoc

by John Agbo, age 14

A historic wreck was found in Lake Michigan near Manitowoc, WI. The wreck was the J.C. Ames, one of the largest and most powerful ships of its kind on the Great Lakes. With a 670-horsepower engine, it had nearly as much power as a modern-day Lamborghini with 759 horsepower.

Built in 1881, the ship was originally named the J.C. Perrett. It was originally built for lumber and trade in the Restriction Era, from 1861 to 1933, which was when shipping and trade were at an all-time high in the Great Lakes. Throughout its years in service, it has had many owners, most notably the Lake Michigan Car Ferry Transportation Company of Peshtigo, which took ownership of the vessel after it sustained damage from a collision and needed repairs in 1889.

Under this owner, it was used for the transportation of railway cars, and the Transportation Company also renamed it the J.C. Ames. With each new owner came a new job, such as George C. Nau, who used it to haul pulpwood barges from Lake Superior ports to Green Bay, WI. In 1923, the ship was intentionally sunk after over 40 years of service. It was dismantled, and the hull was towed into Maritime Bay near Manitowoc and set ablaze.

Being such a treasure and a part of our history, it is protected by state and federal law, so defacing, displacing, destroying, or removing any component of the ship is considered a crime. Maritime historians and archaeologists working alongside the Wisconsin Historical Society began listing the J.C. Ames on the State Register of Historic Places, and it eventually ended up on the National Register of Historic Places.

[Sources: Wisconsin State Journal; Wisconsin Historical Society; CBS News]