Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast designated as U.S. Marine sanctuary

A 962-square-mile area of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin has been designated as the newest national marine sanctuary.

The newly designated Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary will protect 36 historically significant shipwrecks — 21 of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday that Lake Michigan’s cold, fresh water has been beneficial to the lost vessels.

“Several of the known shipwrecks are essentially intact and look much like they did when they sank. The area also includes Wisconsin’s two oldest known shipwrecks, and archival research suggests there may be dozens more yet to be discovered,” the federal agency said, noting that the ships helped transform the Great Lakes from a maritime frontier into the nation’s busiest waterway.

The age of the wrecks spans many decades, from the early 1800s through the 20th century.

This is the most recent sanctuary designation since the protection of Mallows Bay, Maryland, about 40 miles south of Washington, D.C., in 2019.