Wisconsin researchers confirm discovery of long-lost Lake Michigan ‘ghost ship’ F.J. King, missing since a violent 1886 storm
TOI World Desk | TOI Global Desk | Sep 30, 2025, 23:35 IST
Wisconsin researchers confirm discovery of long-lost Lake Michigan ‘ghost ship’ F.J. King, missing since a violent 1886 storm
( Image credit : AP )
Highlight of the story: After 139 years of mystery, the schooner F.J. King has been located in Lake Michigan by Wisconsin researchers and volunteer historians. The ship, lost in an 1886 storm near Baileys Harbor, had been the subject of decades of failed search attempts. The discovery highlights both the endurance of Great Lakes shipwrecks and the dedication of community-based maritime research.
TL;DR
Researchers in Wisconsin have found the schooner F.J. King, a ship that sank during a storm on Lake Michigan in 1886. For nearly 140 years, a "ghost ship," the wreck was ultimately discovered in its entirety during a community search, ending decades of speculation.
A Historic Discovery in Lake Michigan
The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) on Sept. 15 said researchers discovered the wreckage of the F.J. King, a 144-foot Ohio-built schooner from 1867. The vessel sank in a savage late-night storm off Baileys Harbor, Wis., in 1886. Miraculously, all aboard survived, but the wreck itself had been one of the Great Lakes' greatest mysteries.
For decades, the F.J. King was referred to as a "ghost ship" due to numerous but unsuccessful search attempts. Commercial fishermen also reported catching pieces in their nets on occasion, and local lighthouse keepers reported seeing masts silhouetted against the surface of the water. Yet expeditions both professional and amateur time and again came back with nothing.
Community Efforts Leads to Breakthrough
The latest search involved 20 citizen scientists and community historians working with sidescan sonar equipment. Brendon Baillod, president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association and the lead investigator, said expectations were low.
“After all the previous searches, we couldn’t believe we had actually found it, and so quickly,” Baillod said in a statement. “A few of us had to pinch each other.”
Just two hours into their search, the team identified a large object underwater. The vessel’s hull, Baillod reported, was “remarkably intact,” despite carrying heavy iron ore at the time of its sinking.
Preserving A Maritime Heritage
The find is among an increasing number of shipwrecks being located in Wisconsin in 2024. Earlier this year, the L.W. Crane, lost in 1880, was found by researchers in the Fox River near Oshkosh, and a fisherman spotted the tug J.C. Ames off Manitowoc.
According to officials of WHS, such finds—and there have been only a few—are very crucial to preserving maritime history and consequently shipping in the area. Some hundred potential shore wrecks exist in Lake Michigan, known for unpredictable weather and heavy traffic in the 19th century.
FAQs
Q: Why did it become known as a "ghost ship"?
A: Though numerous sightings had been reported through the years and searches spanning many decades had been produced, the ship had gone undiscovered for almost 140 years.
Q: Who made the discovery?
A: A team of 20 citizen historians and scientists led by Brendon Baillod of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association.
Researchers in Wisconsin have found the schooner F.J. King, a ship that sank during a storm on Lake Michigan in 1886. For nearly 140 years, a "ghost ship," the wreck was ultimately discovered in its entirety during a community search, ending decades of speculation.
A Historic Discovery in Lake Michigan
The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) on Sept. 15 said researchers discovered the wreckage of the F.J. King, a 144-foot Ohio-built schooner from 1867. The vessel sank in a savage late-night storm off Baileys Harbor, Wis., in 1886. Miraculously, all aboard survived, but the wreck itself had been one of the Great Lakes' greatest mysteries.
For decades, the F.J. King was referred to as a "ghost ship" due to numerous but unsuccessful search attempts. Commercial fishermen also reported catching pieces in their nets on occasion, and local lighthouse keepers reported seeing masts silhouetted against the surface of the water. Yet expeditions both professional and amateur time and again came back with nothing.
Community Efforts Leads to Breakthrough
The latest search involved 20 citizen scientists and community historians working with sidescan sonar equipment. Brendon Baillod, president of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association and the lead investigator, said expectations were low.
“After all the previous searches, we couldn’t believe we had actually found it, and so quickly,” Baillod said in a statement. “A few of us had to pinch each other.”
Just two hours into their search, the team identified a large object underwater. The vessel’s hull, Baillod reported, was “remarkably intact,” despite carrying heavy iron ore at the time of its sinking.
Preserving A Maritime Heritage
The find is among an increasing number of shipwrecks being located in Wisconsin in 2024. Earlier this year, the L.W. Crane, lost in 1880, was found by researchers in the Fox River near Oshkosh, and a fisherman spotted the tug J.C. Ames off Manitowoc.
According to officials of WHS, such finds—and there have been only a few—are very crucial to preserving maritime history and consequently shipping in the area. Some hundred potential shore wrecks exist in Lake Michigan, known for unpredictable weather and heavy traffic in the 19th century.
FAQs
Q: Why did it become known as a "ghost ship"?
A: Though numerous sightings had been reported through the years and searches spanning many decades had been produced, the ship had gone undiscovered for almost 140 years.
Q: Who made the discovery?
A: A team of 20 citizen historians and scientists led by Brendon Baillod of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association.