Historic Preservation

Wisconsin Shipwrecks

Leave the modern world behind, and visit Wisconsin when schooners and steamers ruled the Great Lakes. By studying shipwrecks, one develops an appreciation for the critical role these vessels played in the development of the region and a respect for the men and women that worked the lakes. There is no other way to get so close to history.

Learn More About Wisconsin's Shipwrecks

• Learn About Underwater Archaeology
  Read how archaeologists conduct their research on shipwrecks.
• Kids' Corner
  Learn about shipwrecks and underwater archaeology.
  Teachers can also download worksheets!
• Shipwreck Videos
  Twenty narrated video clips of shipwrecks in Wisconsin, including a message from Gene Hackman.
• Stewardship and Preservation
  Title to Wisconsin's historic shipwrecks is held in public trust by the State of Wisconsin. Details...
• Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks
  A collaborative website exhibit featuring 13 shipwrecks in Lakes Superior and Michigan.
• Water-Proof Shipwreck Guides
  Fourteen guides designed to help divers explore Wisconsin’s maritime heritage preserved beneath the waves.

More Information
For more information on the State Underwater Archaeology Program, send an email to underwater@wisconsinhistory.org