Pioneer Illinois shipwreck hunter Paul Ehorn has discovered of one of Lake Michigan’s most sought-after missing ships, the passenger steamer Lac La Belle.The ship had been missing in the depths of Lake
Pioneer Illinois shipwreck hunter Paul Ehorn has discovered of one of Lake Michigan’s most sought-after missing ships, the passenger steamer Lac La Belle.
The ship had been missing in the depths of Lake Michigan since a stormy night in October of 1872. Ehorn located her upright, intact hull almost 150 years to the day after her loss.
The Lac La Belle was one of the most popular passenger steamers on Lake Michigan. Built in 1864 at Cleveland, Ohio, she spent her early years running from Cleveland to Lake Superior before an unfortunate collision sank her in 25 ft. of water in the St. Clair River in 1866. She was not raised until 1869 and had to be completely reconditioned.
She was then purchased by Milwaukee’s Englemann Transportation Company which ran her in the passenger trade to Grand Haven, Michigan. She met her end in this capacity. She had departed Milwaukee in a moderate gale on the night of October 13, 1872, with 53 passengers and crew as well as a cargo of 19,000 bushels of barley, 1,200 barrels of flour, 50 barrels of pork and 25 barrels of whiskey. About two hours into her trip, she began leaking uncontrollably from
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