For nearly 140 years, a ship called the F.J. King was lost in the depths of Lake Michigan. The F.J. King was a 144-foot, three-masted cargo schooner built in 1867. It had a successful career carrying grain and iron ore across the Great Lakes.
Its final voyage began on September 15, 1886. While carrying iron ore to Chicago, the ship sailed into a powerful storm off Wisconsin's Door peninsula. Huge waves damaged the ship, and it began to fill with water. The crew tried to pump the water out, but they were unsuccessful.
Captain William Griffin ordered his crew to abandon the ship. They escaped in a small boat just before the F.J. King sank bow-first into the dark water. All the crew members survived after being rescued by another schooner. For decades after, the ship eluded all search attempts, earning it the reputation of a 'ghost ship'.
Recently, however, a team of researchers led by Brendon Baillod decided to search again. Using an old report from a lighthouse keeper and modern side-scan sonar, they finally located the wreck. The discovery solved a mystery that had lasted for generations, bringing the story of the F.J. King to the surface once again.