Re-Visited: The 2,000 Pound Crucifix at the Bottom of Little Traverse Bay

It’s time we re-visited the large crucifix that lies on the bottom of Little Traverse Bay near Petoskey.

This is an 11-foot marble cross with a crucified Jesus Christ at the bottom of Lake Michigan under twenty feet of water. You may have heard of this, but for those of you who haven’t.....

The cross is not too hard to see as one might think. It’s not way out in the lake, submerged due to a sinking ship; no, it was put there on purpose and is easy to see during winter months when the ice is frozen.

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THE STORY:
In 1956, a 15-year-old boy was accidently shot to death. The family wanted to do something special to honor their son, so they had this giant crucifix crafted in Italy. Weighing at almost a ton, the memorial was shipped and began its long journey from Italy to Michigan. When it finally arrived, it was unpacked to find it had numerous damages including a broken arm. The family refused to use it.

A few years later (1962), the crucifix was sold to the Superior Marines Divers Club. It was their idea to drop it into Little Traverse Bay, 65 feet deep, as a tribute to a drowned club member.

In the mid-1980s, the crucifix was again moved; this time closer to shore, 800 feet from the beach. In 1986, the Little Traverse Bay Diving Club came up with the idea of having annual winter viewings of the statue. Divers would go down and place underwater lights around it so visitors could get a better look. In 2015, over 2,000 people went out on the ice for the viewing.

Depending on weather conditions and thickness of ice, free viewings are scheduled when possible and only take place between February and March.

Thinking of diving down during warmer months for your own personal viewing? Forget it. According to Atlas Obscura, “It may only be seen when an official viewing is safe enough to take place.”

But you can see the crucifix right now, by scrolling down to the gallery below.