Father-Daughter Duo Makes Incredible Historical Discovery During Fishing Trip

dailycaller.com ^ | 12/15/2023 | Kay Smith

[rktman]

Tim Wollack and his daughter, Henley, were on a fishing trip at Lake Michigan when they thought they saw an elusive Green Bay octopus hovering beneath their boat, the Wisconsin Historical Society said in a Facebook post. But what they actually uncovered was a shipwreck that had been missing for more than 152 years.

Officials believe the boat is the George L. Newman.

“Working with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Mike Neal, the shipwreck was investigated with Video Ray ROV on December 4,” the society noted in the post. “The wreck is of a wooden three masted sailing ship and is in 8 to 10 feet of water. Although the identity of the wreck has yet been confirmed, the location and current available data fits with that of the barkentine George L. Newman.”

The ship was never marked on any historical or nautical charts, despite its impressive size and connection to the area. It’s believed that on the evening of Oct. 8, 1871, the ship was sailing through the smoke of the Great Peshtigo Fire, one of the deadliest in American history. It’s said the fire claimed roughly 1,500 or more lives. The barquentine was carrying lumber from Little Suamico when it was likely grounded off the southeast point of Green Island.

[rktman]

Pretty cool discovery. But one thing I noticed was this form the article: "It’s believed that on the evening of Oct. 8, 1871, the ship was sailing through the smoke of the Great Peshtigo Fire, one of the deadliest in American history. It’s said the fire claimed roughly 1,500 or more lives." WTAH? There were forest fires in the 1870's? Pretty sure they are a modern problem related to globull warming. No way they were caused by climate change eh?

[Red Badger]

PinGGG!..........................

[Red Badger]

George L. Newman?

Kin to Alfred E. Newman?.................

[rktman]

I almost mentioned the sister ship.......

[rktman]

FROM, not form! DOH!

[Jarhead9297]

What’s even more amazing is this wasn’t discovered far sooner in only 8-10 ft of water

[Laslo Fripp]

“Hello, Jerry…hello, Newman.”

[Red Badger]

[Red Badger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_fire

[Red Badger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chicago_Fire

[AZJeep]

There was a load of lumber on it. That may have some value?!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks! The Peshtigo Fire killed more people than the Chicago Fire, which hit the same night. Other fires sprang up that night over a wide area in that part of the US, to some suggesting a common origin.

[I-ambush]

I have never heard of the “Green Bay octopus.” This is akin to Nessie?

[SunkenCiv]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEImC3i3m3Q

[hanamizu]

Great Peshtigo Fire, one of the deadliest in American history.

---

I believe it was the same day as the Chicago fire. More lives were lost, but since it was in the ‘middle of nowhere’ it isn’t as well known even though more lives were lost.

[Red Badger]

Meteor...................

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Interesting info on Wiki about the Pestigo Fire. It suggests in a couple of places that slash-and-burn operations to clear land for farming were the cause. It also says that Wisconsin was in a drought before the fire and the summer of 1871 was a hot one, yet the slash-and-burn operations continued. These days, we have strict burn limits during such weather.

Wiki -->

The combination of wind, topography and ignition sources that generated the firestorm at the boundary between human settlements and natural terrain, is known as the "Peshtigo paradigm". Those conditions were closely studied by the American and British military during World War II to learn how to recreate firestorms during bombing campaigns against cities in Germany and Japan. Denise Gess, co-author of Firestorm, said, "They actually made a 'demo' first, a little scale model of wooden buildings, and studied how you would drop bombs until it created a firestorm. Something that devastating and that hot."

Rutkow (2012) writes that the event prompted almost no change to the practices of the lumber industry or the way settlers approached life in forests. He notes that in the following decades, the rate of industrial logging increased and the amount of forest fires increased throughout the country, with Wisconsin itself experiencing major fires in 1880, 1891, 1894, 1897, 1908, 1910, 1923, 1931, and 1936. The loss of half a million acres a year was not uncommon.

It's interesting that they think the lumber ship could not navigate because of the dense smoke.

[subterfuge]

What about the octopus?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Alpena, Michigan was basically burned out three times between 1871 and 1888.

[telescope115]

That is the coolest kite!