(Photo via nwitimes.com)
Somewhere off the Michigan City shoreline, the 100-year-old Muskegon Shipwreck, Indiana’s only underwater landmark listed in the National Register, rests in the shallow waters of Lake Michigan.
Constructed in 1872 in Cleveland, the 211-ft. steam-powered freighter began service shuttling passengers and cargo under the name Peerless. As the name suggested, she was without equal on the Great Lakes at the time of her launch, with a 166-foot main saloon, custom art glass, and 45 sumptuously appointed staterooms.
But decades on the harsh northern waters eventually took their toll. As the new century dawned, the boat cruised toward an ignominious and soggy end. Numerous ownership, name, and duty changes ensued, including a brief stint as a “night boat” -- an alleged floating gambling house. Under her final nom du lac of Muskegon, she spent a couple years’ hard duty as a “lumber hooker,” hauling timber from northern yards to the downlake markets. Re-outfitted, she became a sand-sucker, mining sand from the lake’s floor. An accidental dockside fire in 1910 sealed her fate, and in June 1911 she was towed out of port and scuttled.
Muskegon Shipwreck site. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
From peerless to night boat to lumber hooker to sand-sucker, the Muskegon’s fall from grace was anything but graceful. But in the 1980s, a senior archeologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources saw the historical value in the Muskegon’s waterlogged bones and the sad, fascinating tale. After a thorough study of the site, the ship’s remains achieved listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Michigan City coastline. (Photo: Theresa via Flickr)
Unlike the other fascinating Hoosier places that have appeared in this blog, this gem must remain hidden. The threat of looting prevents public release of the wreck’s exact location. Accredited and legitimate groups may apply to tour the site under the guidance of the DNR, though. A great place to start is DNR’s Shipwreck Info page.
National Parks Service Indiana Submerged Resources
Underwater and historic photos of the Muskegon (nee Peerless) can be found here:
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Each week Indiana Landmarks uses insider knowledge to highlight historic places worth a visit, from the quirky to the sublime: small towns, neighborhoods, restaurants, shops, parks, cemeteries, scenic drives, museums -- you get the idea. Learn more about Indiana Landmarks at www.indianalandmarks.org.