A father and daughter went fishing. What they found was a 152-year-old shipwreck
While Tim Wollak and his 5-year-old daughter Henley were fishing near Green Island in Green Bay, Wisc., their fish finder sonar device picked up on something.
At first, Henley thought the images were of some sort of rare, freshwater octopus. What they've learned since that August day is that it is most likely the wreck of a missing ship more than 150 years old.
"It best matches up with a ship called George L. Newman," said Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist for the Wisconsin Historical Society.
The Wisconsin Historical Society came across photos Wollak had posted in Facebook interest groups, and shortly after matched them to its database of historic shipwreck losses based on the ship's location and features.
The 122-foot, 250-ton George L. Newman was built in Black River, Ohio, in 1855 and used in the lumber trade. In 1871, the great Peshtigo Fire would ravage northeastern Wisconsin, later becoming known as the deadliest wildfire in American history. The fire destroyed whole communities, killing over an estimated 1,200 people.
On that fateful October day in 1871, the Newman was trying to deliver a cargo of lumber from Little Suamico, Wisc., to Green Bay, but smoke from the fire was so thick that there was little visibility, causing an error in navigation.
The ship ended up running aground on the southeast end of Green Island, which sits in Lake Michigan. Fetched up so high on the shore, it couldn't get off, so the crew posted up on the island for about a week, salvaging cargo until they could be rescued.
The ship, however, remained behind. "And it ended up breaking up in storms over the years and ice. And then it was kind of swallowed by the shoal, covered up with sand until it was recently exposed and discovered by the Wollaks," Thomsen said.
But despite the historical significance of her discovery, Henley felt some disappointment.
"She was hoping that there would be some treasure that we could get to keep from the boat," said Wollak.
The Wisconsin Historical Society, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, plans on going out to take a look at the shipwreck to confirm its identity in the spring.
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Baba na binti yake walienda kuvua samaki. Wakati Tim Wollek na binti yake wa miaka mitano Henley walikuwa wakivua samaki karibu na Green Island katika Green Bay, Wisconsin, sonar yao ya kutafuta samaki ilipata kitu. Mwanzoni, Henley alifikiri kwamba picha hizo zilikuwa za aina fulani ya samaki aina ya octopus wa maji baridi. "Watu hao walipata habari kwamba meli hiyo ilikuwa ""mwagavu wa meli iliyopotea"" iliyokuwa na umri wa miaka 150 hivi." "Ni meli inayofanana zaidi na meli iitwayo George L. Newman", akasema Tamara Thomsen, mtaalamu wa vitu vya kale vya baharini wa Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Historical Society ilipata picha ambazo Wollek alikuwa amezichapisha katika vikundi vya maslahi vya Facebook, na muda mfupi baadaye iliwaunganisha na hifadhidata yake ya hasara za kihistoria za meli kulingana na eneo na sifa za meli. Meli hiyo ya George L. Newman ilijengwa huko Black River, Ohio, Marekani, mwaka wa 1855 na ilitumika katika biashara ya mbao. "Mwaka 1871 moto mkubwa wa Peshtigo uliangamiza kaskazini mashariki mwa Wisconsin, na baadaye ukajulikana kama ""moto wa mwituni wenye kuua zaidi katika historia ya Marekani.""" Moto huo uliharibu jamii nzima, ukiua watu zaidi ya 1,200. Siku hiyo ya Oktoba mwaka 1871 meli ya Newman ilikuwa ikisafirisha mbao kutoka Little Suamico, Wisconsin, hadi Green Bay, lakini moshi uliotokana na moto huo ulikuwa mkubwa sana hivi kwamba haukuonekana vizuri, na hivyo kusababisha kosa katika usafiri wa baharini. Meli hiyo ilikwama kwenye ncha ya kusini-mashariki ya Kisiwa cha Green, kilicho katika Ziwa Michigan. Meli hiyo ilikuwa imepanda juu sana kwenye ufuo, hivyo haikuweza kutua, kwa hiyo wafanyakazi wa meli hiyo walikaa kwenye kisiwa hicho kwa muda wa juma moja, wakikomboa mizigo hadi walipookolewa. Hata hivyo, meli hiyo ilibaki nyuma. "Na mwishowe ilivunjika katika dhoruba kwa miaka mingi na barafu. "Kisha ilinywewa na mchanga, hadi ilipofunuliwa na kugunduliwa na Wollaks hivi karibuni, ""Thomsen alisema." Lakini licha ya umuhimu wa kihistoria wa ugunduzi wake, Henley alivunjika moyo. "Alitumaini kwamba kungekuwa na hazina fulani ambayo tungeweza kuhifadhi kutoka kwenye mashua", akasema Wollak. Shirika la Wisconsin Historical Society, kwa kushirikiana na Idara ya Rasilimali Asili ya Wisconsin, linapanga kwenda nje kuangalia meli hiyo ili kuthibitisha utambulisho wake katika majira ya kuchipua. Copyright: NPR Kwa maelezo zaidi, tembelea www.nl.org.