A shipwreck resting for more than 150 years in Lake Erie has been identified as the Clough, a stone-hauling sailing vessel built in Lorain, Ohio, in 1867. The ship sank in 1868 while transporting limestone, cutting short its brief service life.
The Clough wreck was discovered by Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE), who worked alongside researchers from the National Museum of the Great Lakes to confirm its identity through archival research and underwater investigation. Sonar imaging, structural details and historical records helped match the wreck to the long-lost vessel.
The Clough wreck site is associated with the tragic loss of CLUE founder David VanZandt, who died in June 2024 while diving for the wreck.
To honor the discovery of the ship, as well as the life of VanZandt, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is opening a new temporary micro exhibit highlighting the vessel’s history and the underwater research that made its identification possible. The exhibit is open now through April 19.
Learn more at nmgl.org.
National museum of the great lakes/jack papes
