Searchers Find Wreck of Luxury Steamer Lost in Lake Michigan Over 150 Years Ago

The Lac La Belle sank in a gale in 1872 while traveling from Milwaukee to Grand Haven, Michigan.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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After a nearly 60-year search, a team led by Illinois shipwreck hunter Paul Ehorn has discovered the wreck of the luxury steamer Lac La Belle, which sank in Lake Michigan in 1872. The 217-foot ship was built in 1864 and had a history of sinking and being raised before its final voyage, when it went down in a gale with 53 passengers and crew aboard.

Why it matters

The discovery of the Lac La Belle wreck is significant as it helps uncover an important piece of Great Lakes maritime history. Shipwreck hunting in the region has become more urgent in recent years due to concerns that invasive quagga mussels are slowly destroying many of the estimated 6,000 to 10,000 wrecks that remain undiscovered in the lakes.

The details

Ehorn, who has been searching for shipwrecks since he was 15 years old, used a clue from fellow wreck hunter and author Ross Richardson in 2022 to narrow down his search grid. After just two hours on the lake, Ehorn's team located the Lac La Belle using side-scan sonar. The wreck's exterior is covered in quagga mussels and the upper cabins are gone, but the hull remains intact and the oak interiors are still in good shape.

  • The Lac La Belle sank on October 13, 1872 after leaving Milwaukee for Grand Haven, Michigan.
  • Ehorn has been searching for the wreck since 1965.
  • The discovery was announced on February 16, 2026.

The players

Paul Ehorn

An 80-year-old Illinois shipwreck hunter who has been searching for the Lac La Belle since 1965 and led the team that discovered the wreck in 2022.

Ross Richardson

A wreck hunter and author who provided Ehorn with a clue that helped narrow down the search grid and led to the discovery of the Lac La Belle.

Lac La Belle

A 217-foot luxury steamer built in 1864 that sank in a gale on Lake Michigan in 1872 while traveling from Milwaukee to Grand Haven, Michigan.

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What they’re saying

“It's kind of a game, like solve the puzzle. Sometimes you don't have many pieces to put the puzzle together but this one worked out and we found it right away.”

— Paul Ehorn (The Associated Press)

“The information could alert searchers to another way to conduct research.”

— Ross Richardson, Wreck hunter and author (The Associated Press)

What’s next

Ehorn and his team plan to return to the wreck site this summer to capture additional 3D video footage of the Lac La Belle.

The takeaway

The discovery of the Lac La Belle wreck highlights the ongoing efforts to uncover the hidden maritime history of the Great Lakes, even decades after a ship's sinking. As invasive species threaten the preservation of these wrecks, the race is on to locate and document as many as possible before they are lost forever.