Every shipwreck has its own story, but some are just that much more tragic,” said Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society Executive Director Bruce Lynn.

The 300-foot "Western Reserve" sank in August 1892, killing 27 people after both lifeboats capsized. Harry W. Stewart, the ship's wheelsman, was the only survivor

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has announced the discovery of a new wreck on Lake Superior: The SS Western Reserve.

After searching for two years, researchers discovered the shipwreck of the Western Reserve, an early all-steel ship that broke apart in a gale in 1892 with a sole survivor.

The Western Reserve, a 300-foot steel steamer, broke in two as it wrecked in 1892 about 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior. When the wreckage was found, the bow section had rested on top of the stern in nearly 600 feet of water.

The Western Reserve, a 300-foot steel steamer, was discovered about 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society using Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar on the non-profit’s research vessel, David Boyd, in the summer of 2024.

In 1892, a gale overtook the ship Western Reserve, causing it to sink within a matter of minutes with only one of the 28 aboard at the time surviving. The ship was lost to Lake Superior until 2024.