The Great Lakes host an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 shipwrecks, many undiscovered, with increased hunting due to concerns about invasive species destroying wrecks.

A commercial fisherman provided a tip that helped narrow the search, though details were withheld to avoid guiding competitors.

The exact location of the wreck has not been publicly disclosed.

Ehorn plans to create a 3D photo model of the wreck and present more details at the 2026 Ghost Ships Festival on March 7 in Manitowoc.

A three-dimensional video model and a site visit last summer allowed the team to publicly announce the find after verification.

Ross Richardson, a fellow wreck hunter and author, provided a clue in 2022 related to an item found by a commercial fisherman that suggested the ship’s identity, though details were not disclosed.

Built in 1864 in Cleveland, Lac La Belle operated on the Cleveland–Lake Superior route and sank after a gale near Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin, with 53 passengers and crew aboard and a cargo including barley, pork, flour, and whiskey.

The wreck of the luxury steamer Lac La Belle, lost in a Lake Michigan gale in October 1872, has been discovered by a team led by Paul Ehorn, completing a search that began nearly six decades ago.

Eight people died when a lifeboat capsized during the sinking; the remaining lifeboats made landfall along the Wisconsin coast between Racine and Kenosha.

The discovery will be discussed and showcased at a festival and through future documentation.

Evidence and clues involved input from wreck hunter Ross Richardson and a commercial fisherman who reportedly identified a piece of equipment related to steam ships from the 1800s.

The article notes the lakes’ storied history and the ongoing efforts to document and verify shipwreck discoveries.