Lake Michigan Shipwreck Full of 1920s Automobiles

In 1924, the S.S. Lakeland sank with a cargo loaded with automobiles.
It now sits at the bottom of Lake Michigan 205 feet down.

FAST FACTS:
1887: Built in Cleveland, Ohio as The Cambria
1887: Launched in Cleveland as a passenger ship
1910: Re-named The Lakeland
1920: Converted as a vessel to transport automobiles

On December 3, 1924, the Lakeland was on its way from Chicago to Detroit with 22 Nash and Kissel automobiles, and a Rollin auto. Just before noon, the crew discovered a huge leak; they attempted to control it but to no avail. The captain changed direction and began heading toward shallow water.

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About nine miles from shore, the realization hit that the ship was not able to be saved and the crew began abandoning ship.

Afterward, the problems continued...with insurance companies. The company that owned the Lakeland was sued by sixteen insurance companies, believing the captain sank the ship on purpose. They tried to prove that point so they wouldn't have to pay the insurance.

In 1960 – 36 years later – the Lakeland was discovered, with the old 1920s automobiles on board an scattered.

The gallery below below shows images of those old automobiles (thanks to Becky Kagan Schott).