Pewabic

On August 9, 1865, the steamer Pewabic was headed for Cleveland with a load of passengers, copper, and miscellaneous cargo. After spotting its sister ship Meteor oncoming in the distance, Pewabic signaled for the two to stop and exchange mail. This maneuver, however, brought the vessels dangerously close and Meteor struck Pewabic. The force of the collision left a massive hole in Pewabic's side and the wooden steamer sank in less than four minutes. Many of its passengers went down with the vessel, making the incident one of the most tragic losses in Great Lakes maritime history. The shipwreck now rests 165 feet of water.