The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has put together a map of Great Lakes shipwrecks. It says there are more than 1,500 shipwrecks submerged in Michigan waters. Some, like the Syracuse, recall the Great Lakes sailing heyday, when goods and people routinely plied the lakes along well-used routes. The Syracuse, a two-masted schooner carrying a cargo of coal, sank in Lake Huron on November 10, 1863. There are more recent wrecks as well, including the 600-foot Cedarville, which sank while transporting a cargo of limestone on May 7, 1967. The DNR says the Michigan Shipwrecks Public Web App is now up, offering everyone a closer look at shipwrecks as well as the locations of lighthouses and boating access sites. Users can search for wrecks by name or location or customize and print their own PDF maps. Here in southwest Michigan, the map lists the Havana as a local shipwreck. The 135 foot schooner was lost on October 3, 1887 after it encountered rough waters north of Benton Harbor. You can find the shipwreck map right here.
