Mackinac Island Cemeteries: A Guide to 3 Historic Burial Grounds

Every ferry trip to Mackinac Island crosses water shaped by centuries of trade, travel, storms, and navigation. Beneath the Straits of Mackinac are the remains of more than 100 vessels, according to Mackinac State Historic Parks. These wrecks range from nineteenth-century wooden ships to the 604-foot Cedarville, which sank in 1965.

The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve protects many of these historic sites. Divers can explore selected wrecks, while non-divers can learn their stories at the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum and on local maritime-history cruises.

This guide explains why so many ships were lost, introduces several famous Straits of Mackinac shipwrecks, and shows visitors how to experience this history safely.

Why Are There So Many Shipwrecks in the Straits of Mackinac?

The Straits connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. Ships carrying grain, lumber, coal, iron ore, limestone, and other goods have used this route for generations.

The passage can be challenging. Fog may reduce visibility, storms can develop quickly, and ice creates hazards during colder months. Before radar, GPS, and modern communication systems, crews depended on charts, compasses, clocks, sound signals, and visual landmarks.

Traffic also increased the risk of collisions. Ships of different sizes and speeds had to pass through a limited route, sometimes in poor visibility. Lighthouses, buoys, and fog signals helped mariners navigate, but they could not remove every danger. Read our guide to Mackinac Island-area lighthouses for more maritime history.

Why Great Lakes Wrecks Can Remain Well Preserved

Cold freshwater can slow the decay of submerged wooden vessels. It also lacks the saltwater organisms that quickly damage many ocean wrecks. As a result, some Great Lakes shipwrecks retain parts of their hulls, decks, machinery, and fittings.

Preservation is not permanent. Currents, sediment, corrosion, anchors, careless contact, and natural deterioration still damage wrecks. Divers must avoid touching or entering fragile sections unless they have the proper training and site knowledge.

The Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve

Created in 1983, the Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve covers approximately 148 square miles of bottomland in Lakes Michigan and Huron. The preserve protects shipwrecks and other submerged historical resources.

Seasonal mooring buoys are installed at selected wrecks. They help divers locate sites and reduce the need to drop anchors near fragile remains. Buoy placement and availability can change, so divers should check the preserve’s current status before traveling.

Michigan law prohibits removing, altering, or damaging artifacts. Visitors should follow the diving principle: take only pictures and leave only bubbles.

Four Famous Straits of Mackinac Shipwrecks

Sandusky: The Preserve’s Oldest Known Wreck

Sandusky was a 110-foot wooden brig built in Sandusky, Ohio, in 1848. It sank during a September 1856 storm while carrying grain. All seven people aboard died.

The wreck rests in approximately 85 feet of water, about five miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. The hull remains largely intact, although sections continue to deteriorate. Its bowsprit and other features make it one of the preserve’s best-known dive sites.

A replica figurehead remains on the wreck. The original was recovered with state permission after an attempted theft and is displayed at the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.

Cedarville: A Modern Maritime Disaster

On May 7, 1965, Cedarville collided with the Norwegian vessel Topdalsfjord in dense fog. Cedarville was carrying limestone through the Straits. It capsized and sank about 40 minutes after the collision.

The 604-foot freighter carried 35 crew members. Ten died and 25 survived. The loss remains one of the Straits’ most serious modern maritime disasters.

The wreck lies at depths ranging from roughly 40 to 112 feet. Its size, damaged structure, and orientation can make it confusing and dangerous. Divers should treat Cedarville as an advanced site and use appropriate planning, training, and equipment.

Eber Ward: Lost to Spring Ice

Eber Ward was a 213-foot wooden steamer built in 1888. In April 1909, the vessel struck ice that opened its hull. It sank quickly while carrying corn, and five crew members died.

The wreck sits upright at depths of approximately 110 to 140 feet. Its depth makes it an advanced dive. The vessel’s damaged bow and relatively intact sections help visitors understand how ice caused the loss.

William H. Barnum: A Wooden Steamer on the Lake Bottom

William H. Barnum was a 219-foot wooden steamer built in 1873. Ice cut open the vessel in April 1894 while it carried corn through the Straits. No lives were lost.

The wreck rests upright in about 75 feet of water. Its moderate depth makes it more accessible than some deeper preserve sites, but every wreck dive still requires suitable certification, conditions, and planning.

How Non-Divers Can Explore Mackinac Shipwreck History

Visit the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum

The most dependable option is the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City. The museum uses original artifacts, models, audiovisual displays, and dive footage to explain the vessels and their losses.

Visitors can see the original Sandusky figurehead and displays connected to Cedarville and Eber Ward. The museum is part of the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse site, so admission, dates, and hours follow the site’s seasonal schedule. Check the official schedule before visiting.

Take a Maritime-History Cruise

Some Mackinaw City cruises discuss shipwreck and maritime history while traveling through the Straits. These are not automatically glass-bottom tours and may not provide a direct underwater view of a wreck. Review the operator’s exact route and description before booking.

Regional operators may also offer seasonal diving, snorkeling, or glass-bottom shipwreck experiences from other nearby ports, including Cheboygan. Availability depends on weather, water conditions, and the operator’s schedule.

Compare these experiences with our guide to boat tours around Mackinac Island.

Notice the History During Your Ferry Crossing

A standard Mackinac Island ferry does not provide a shipwreck-viewing tour. However, understanding the Straits’ maritime history can make the crossing more meaningful. From the ferry, visitors can see shipping lanes, bridge towers, lighthouses, mainland shorelines, and freighters moving between the lakes.

For a comfortable crossing, read our Mackinac Island ferry seating tips.

Important Safety and Preservation Guidance

Shipwreck diving can involve cold water, depth, low visibility, boat traffic, entanglement risks, and unstable structures. Divers should use current charts and buoy information, monitor weather, display the required diver-down flag, and stay outside ferry lanes.

Do not enter a wreck without the required training. Even an apparently open section can contain sharp metal, silt, lines, or collapsing material. Use a qualified charter operator if you are unfamiliar with the preserve.

Never remove artifacts. A small object may seem unimportant, but taking it removes part of the site’s history and may violate state law.

How Shipwrecks Explain Mackinac Island’s Importance

Mackinac Island became important because of its position in the Straits. Military leaders, fur traders, fishing crews, passenger vessels, and commercial freighters all depended on this route. The fort, harbor, town, and nearby lighthouses make more sense when visitors view the Straits as a transportation corridor rather than only a scenic landscape.

Our guide to Mackinac Island and the Great Lakes provides more background on that relationship.

Plan a Maritime-History Visit

A well-planned trip can include Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and its shipwreck museum before or after an overnight stay on Mackinac Island. Confirm museum hours, cruise schedules, ferry times, and weather conditions before traveling.

Inn on Mackinac offers a peaceful place to stay while you explore the island’s maritime history. Visit innonmackinac.com to view rooms, rates, and availability.

Category: Mackinac Island