ERIE BOARD OF TRADE
The captain of this ship sent one of his crewmen up to the lookout chair, knowing it was
unsafe. Of course the man fell to his death, but his image was spotted many times in different
areas of the ship. As they crew docked in port, they told their ghostly tales, then set out on
their next voyage. It was then the ship went down in 1883 in Lake Huron, supposedly at the
hands of the ghost of the crewman. This ship is still spotted in Saginaw Bay.
The captain of this ship sent one of his crewmen up to the lookout chair, knowing it was
unsafe. Of course the man fell to his death, but his image was spotted many times in different
areas of the ship. As they crew docked in port, they told their ghostly tales, then set out on
their next voyage. It was then the ship went down in 1883 in Lake Huron, supposedly at the
hands of the ghost of the crewman. This ship is still spotted in Saginaw Bay.
GRIFFON
The Griffon set sail from Green Bay into Lake Michigan in September 1678 and
was never seen again. It was one of the earliest recorded disappearances of the
Great Lakes and bears the distinction of being the first sighted ghost ship of the
Great Lakes. Many sailors claim to have seen her still afloat over the years.
The Griffon set sail from Green Bay into Lake Michigan in September 1678 and
was never seen again. It was one of the earliest recorded disappearances of the
Great Lakes and bears the distinction of being the first sighted ghost ship of the
Great Lakes. Many sailors claim to have seen her still afloat over the years.
SEBASTIAN'S SHIP
This ship tale is very old but has been spotted many times off the shores of Mackinac
Island. It is said to be the ship of explorer Sebastian whose ship went down in the Straits of
Mackinac as he tried to return to his home in France. This ship is said to appear every
seven years in the fog near the island.
This ship tale is very old but has been spotted many times off the shores of Mackinac
Island. It is said to be the ship of explorer Sebastian whose ship went down in the Straits of
Mackinac as he tried to return to his home in France. This ship is said to appear every
seven years in the fog near the island.
WESTERN RESERVE
Before this ship went down in 1892, Captain Truedell from the Great Lakes
Life-Saving Service had a very real dream that the Reserve was going to sink
along with its owner, Peter Minch, on board. This dream was so vivid that, after
the Reserve went down with its crew and the entire Minch family on board, Capt
Truedell actually recognized Peter Minch's body when it was discovered washed
ashore. This ship is still spotted sailing in the foggy waters off Deer Park, MI.
Before this ship went down in 1892, Captain Truedell from the Great Lakes
Life-Saving Service had a very real dream that the Reserve was going to sink
along with its owner, Peter Minch, on board. This dream was so vivid that, after
the Reserve went down with its crew and the entire Minch family on board, Capt
Truedell actually recognized Peter Minch's body when it was discovered washed
ashore. This ship is still spotted sailing in the foggy waters off Deer Park, MI.
WH GILCHER
In a bizarre twist of fate, two months after the Wester Reserve went down, its sister ship,
the Gilcher left Buffalo on October 28, 1892 on its way to Milwaukee when it, too, was lost.
It was last seen mid-afternoon of that day off the Straits of Mackinac. It is thought possible
that the Gilcher collided in the fog with the schooner Ostrick based on the wreckage that
washed ashore in Charlevoix on November 2, but it will never be known exactly what
happened. The coal steamer can still be seen mysteriously appearing through the fog off
Mackinaw Island exactly as it appeared when it was last seen on that fateful day in 1892.
In a bizarre twist of fate, two months after the Wester Reserve went down, its sister ship,
the Gilcher left Buffalo on October 28, 1892 on its way to Milwaukee when it, too, was lost.
It was last seen mid-afternoon of that day off the Straits of Mackinac. It is thought possible
that the Gilcher collided in the fog with the schooner Ostrick based on the wreckage that
washed ashore in Charlevoix on November 2, but it will never be known exactly what
happened. The coal steamer can still be seen mysteriously appearing through the fog off
Mackinaw Island exactly as it appeared when it was last seen on that fateful day in 1892.
MARQUETTE & BESSEMER #2
This 334 foot railroad car ferry, carrying 32 hopper cars full of coal, sank on
December 8, 1909 along with all 36 men on board, leaving no trace of wreckage.
Because of the build of the ship and the open ended design of ferry cars of the day, it
is thought to have taken on too much water that was then unable to be pumped fast
enough. Sadly, three days after the Bessemer went missing, one of its lifeboats was
found 15 miles from Erie; with 9 frozen bodies. Sailors for years swear they can still
hear the ship's whistle on stormy nights. Mysteriously, the sunken ship has been
spotted by air, yet cannot be found by divers.
This 334 foot railroad car ferry, carrying 32 hopper cars full of coal, sank on
December 8, 1909 along with all 36 men on board, leaving no trace of wreckage.
Because of the build of the ship and the open ended design of ferry cars of the day, it
is thought to have taken on too much water that was then unable to be pumped fast
enough. Sadly, three days after the Bessemer went missing, one of its lifeboats was
found 15 miles from Erie; with 9 frozen bodies. Sailors for years swear they can still
hear the ship's whistle on stormy nights. Mysteriously, the sunken ship has been
spotted by air, yet cannot be found by divers.
EDMUND FITZGERALD Arguably the most famous ghost ship of the Great
Lakes, this ore freighter sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975 and all 26
crewman were lost. It is not known fully what happened that fateful night in 1975, but
it must have happened very fast because the captain of another freighter, Capt. Jesse
Cooper, had been talking to the Fitzgerald's captain just moments before it
disappeared. Cooper stated the Fitz was in the midst of a heavy snow squall and could
barely be seen, then suddenly the snow ended but the Fitzgerald had disappeared, not
only from sight but from the Cooper's radar as well. It is thought that the ship had
bottomed out on a very dangerous and then-unknown rock formation, called Caribou
Shoal, and began filling with water and sinking before the crew even knew they were in
trouble. The legend of the Fitzgerald has lived on in song as well as many sightings of
the ship still sailing the Great Lakes to this day. Recently, in 1985, a commercial vessel
is recorded to have seen the Fitzgerald.
Lakes, this ore freighter sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975 and all 26
crewman were lost. It is not known fully what happened that fateful night in 1975, but
it must have happened very fast because the captain of another freighter, Capt. Jesse
Cooper, had been talking to the Fitzgerald's captain just moments before it
disappeared. Cooper stated the Fitz was in the midst of a heavy snow squall and could
barely be seen, then suddenly the snow ended but the Fitzgerald had disappeared, not
only from sight but from the Cooper's radar as well. It is thought that the ship had
bottomed out on a very dangerous and then-unknown rock formation, called Caribou
Shoal, and began filling with water and sinking before the crew even knew they were in
trouble. The legend of the Fitzgerald has lived on in song as well as many sightings of
the ship still sailing the Great Lakes to this day. Recently, in 1985, a commercial vessel
is recorded to have seen the Fitzgerald.
EMPEROR STEAMER
A diver exploring the ship's wreckage in 1988 saw the ghost of a crewman laying
on his bunk, who then rolled over and looked at him, appearing as he would have
before the ship sank - then just vanished!
A diver exploring the ship's wreckage in 1988 saw the ghost of a crewman laying
on his bunk, who then rolled over and looked at him, appearing as he would have
before the ship sank - then just vanished!
BANNOCKBURN (aka, "THE FLYING DUTCHMAN OF THE GREAT
LAKES")
This famous steamer set sail on November 21, 1902 - and simply disappeared into
Lake Superior with its crew of 20 men. Like so many shipwrecks, no wreckage was
ever found, the entire ship seemingly just disappeared into thin air. What makes the
legend of this ship so different is the sheer mass number of sightings over the years
that continues to this day. Most of these sightings occur in the month of November,
when winter gale winds are blowing and visibility is low, the ghostly image of an
ancient steamer is seen battling its way through the storm, trying to find a safe harbor.
LAKES")
This famous steamer set sail on November 21, 1902 - and simply disappeared into
Lake Superior with its crew of 20 men. Like so many shipwrecks, no wreckage was
ever found, the entire ship seemingly just disappeared into thin air. What makes the
legend of this ship so different is the sheer mass number of sightings over the years
that continues to this day. Most of these sightings occur in the month of November,
when winter gale winds are blowing and visibility is low, the ghostly image of an
ancient steamer is seen battling its way through the storm, trying to find a safe harbor.
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