A Wisconsin angler stumbled upon the century-old wreck of one of the Great Lakes’ most powerful tugboats while fishing through the fog, revealing a long-forgotten piece of American maritime history.

At a Glance

• Christopher Thuss discovered the wreck of the J.C. Ames tugboat in shallow waters of Lake Michigan near Manitowoc, Wisconsin
• Built in 1881, the J.C. Ames was once among the largest and most powerful tugboats on the Great Lakes, sporting a 670-horsepower engine
• The vessel was deliberately scuttled in 1923 after falling into disrepair and had been buried in sand for decades until recent winter storms exposed it
• The discovery has been confirmed by the Wisconsin Historical Society, which noted the absence of invasive quagga mussels, suggesting recent exposure
• Historians are racing to document Great Lakes shipwrecks before invasive species damage these underwater historical artifacts

Historic Tugboat Emerges from Lake Michigan

A routine fishing trip transformed into a historical discovery when Christopher Thuss spotted something unusual while navigating through fog on Lake Michigan. The Wisconsin angler had happened upon the wreck of the J.C. Ames, a tugboat that had been submerged for over a century. The vessel, built in 1881 by the Rand and Burger shipbuilding company in Manitowoc, was once a cornerstone of Great Lakes maritime commerce, transporting lumber and even railway cars across the vast inland waters.

The J.C. Ames was no ordinary tugboat. With its impressive 670-horsepower engine, it ranked among the most powerful vessels of its kind on the Great Lakes during the late 19th century. This maritime workhorse served the region’s booming lumber industry until technology advanced and the vessel gradually fell into disrepair. In 1923, after decades of service, the tugboat was deliberately scuttled, disappearing beneath Lake Michigan’s waters where it remained hidden from view for generations.

Nature Reveals Long-Buried History

What makes this discovery particularly remarkable is the timing of its revelation. For decades, the J.C. Ames lay buried under layers of lake bottom sand, effectively preserving it from both human interference and natural degradation. Recent winter storms appear to have shifted the lakebed configuration, uncovering the wreck and bringing it back into human awareness. The Wisconsin Historical Society confirmed the discovery, noting that the absence of quagga mussels on the wreck suggests it was only recently exposed to open water.

“These kinds of discoveries are always so exciting because it allows a piece of lost history to resurface. It sat there for over a hundred years and then came back on our radar completely by chance,” Thomsen said in a statement. “We are grateful that Chris Thuss noticed the wreck and reported it so we can share this story with the Wisconsin communities that this history belongs to.”

The timing of this discovery is critical beyond just historical interest. Invasive quagga mussels represent an existential threat to shipwrecks throughout the Great Lakes. These tiny mollusks attach to submerged structures, accelerating deterioration of historical artifacts. The clean state of the J.C. Ames wreck gives historians and marine archaeologists a rare opportunity to document and study a Great Lakes vessel before invasive species can impact its condition.

Race Against Invasive Threats

The discovery of the J.C. Ames highlights the ongoing battle to preserve America’s underwater heritage. Historians are in a race against time to locate and document shipwrecks before invasive species like quagga mussels destroy these fragile time capsules. The Great Lakes contain thousands of shipwrecks, each telling a story of American maritime commerce, technological innovation, and sometimes tragedy. Many remain undiscovered, their locations lost to time until chance occurrences like Thuss’s fishing expedition bring them back into public awareness.

For the communities around Manitowoc and the broader Wisconsin coastline, the emergence of the J.C. Ames provides a tangible connection to their industrial past. The tugboat represents an era when lumber was king, and Great Lakes shipping drove the economic development of America’s heartland. Local historians and maritime enthusiasts now have an opportunity to document and potentially preserve aspects of this newly revealed treasure, adding another chapter to Wisconsin’s rich maritime legacy.