Lake Michigan sunken ship is named historic place

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — A Lake Michigan shipwreck in southeastern Wisconsin has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Sheboygan Press reports the canaller Walter B. Allen sank in a storm in April 1880 about seven miles from Sheboygan. It’s considered one of the best preserved of any Great Lakes shipwreck, lying upright in about 170 feet of water.

Jim Draeger, of the Wisconsin Historical Society, says putting the ship on the register will let the public know these kinds of ships exist in the Great Lakes.

He says it educates them about the importance of Great Lakes shipping to Wisconsin’s history. It also protects the property under state law.

The owner of Maritime Divers in Manitowoc, Mike Hansen, says it looks like the ship was captured in time.