A group of shipwreck hunters have discovered the remains of the Antelope, a 187-foot schooner-barge that sank on October 7, 1897. The group calls the Antelope wreck one of the most intact sail-rigged ships found in Lake Superior, with two of three masts still standing, full rigging and the bow cabin intact.
The Antelope was built in 1861, and carried passengers and freight between Chicago and Buffalo, New York. After catching fire in 1867, the ship was rebuilt and worked as a steamer. In 1897, the Antelope was being towed at a fast pace through choppy waters when it sprang a leak and eventually sank near Michigan Island. The crew escaped unharmed.
Photo by Jerry Ellison
