Identification & Vessel Specifications
- Official Name: SS Lakeland (née Cambria)
- Registry Number: 126420 (Wikipedia, SS Lakeland)
- Builder: Globe Iron Works Company, Cleveland, Ohio
- Launch Year: 1887 (as Cambria, Hull #12) (Wikipedia)
- Shipment Specs:
- Overall Length: ~300.6 ft (91.6 m)
- Length Between Perpendiculars: ~280 ft (85 m)
- Beam: ~39 ft (12 m)
- Hold Depth: ~24 ft (7.3 m)
- Gross Tonnage: ~1,878.1 tons
- Net Tonnage: ~1,377.3 tons (The Scuba News)
- Propulsion: 1,200 hp triple-expansion steam engine, powered by Scotch marine boilers (coal-fired) — a pioneering powertrain for its era (The Scuba News)
Construction & Operational History
- Originally built as Cambria for the Mutual Transportation Company (Federal Steel Company, Elbert Gary ownership). She was among the earliest steel-hulled freighters and carried bulk cargoes (ore, coal, grain, salt). (The Scuba News)
- Notable mishaps:
- Grounding in June 1888 near Peninsula Point Light, Hull damage (The Scuba News)
- 1910 refit intended for passenger service, eventually completed in Cleveland; renamed Lakeland in May 1910 (The Scuba News)
- Collision and grounding in St. Marys River, 1910 (The Scuba News)
- 1920 Conversion into automobile carrier; transported cars late in shipping seasons (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
- Extensive overhaul (1923–24): relocated boiler room, added watertight Bulkhead, new boilers, pilot house, ballast repairs, frame replacements; repaired twisted rudder stock in Detroit dry dock in Fall 1924 (The Scuba News)
Final Voyage & Sinking — December 1924
- Departed Chicago on December 3, 1924, bound for Detroit, carrying 22 Nash, Kissel, and 1 Rollin cars (Wikipedia)
- Developed an unmanageable leak in calm conditions; pumps couldn’t keep pace. At approximately 9 miles offshore (Lake Michigan, east of Sturgeon Bay), the ship sank by the Stern and “telescoped” (broke in two), lights flickering until final plunge (Wisconsin Historical Society)
- No crew fatalities reported (Wikipedia)
- Estimated losses: ~$500,000 ship + ~$45,000 cargo (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
Investigation & Diving Legacy
- Insurers launched investigation; wreck located in 1960 by local tugs; lies upright in ~205 ft (62 m) depth, broken aft of cargo elevator (Wikipedia)
- The salvage marked the first practical use of mixed-gas (helium) diving in the Great Lakes — a breakthrough that advanced technical diving and inspired decompression methods (Wikipedia)
- Divers discovered Stern seacocks fully open, contradicting engineers’ claims, strongly suggesting intentional scuttling for insurance purposes; two trials followed, likely settled out of court (Wikipedia)
Cargo & Artifact Legacy
- Salvage attempts raised one 1924 Rollin car (later scrapped); brass steam whistle and anchor ended up in Door County Maritime Museum (Wikipedia)
- Numerous Nash and Kissel vehicles remain in hold — widely documented in reports and diving videos (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
- “Gold‑Bug” Shah of Iran story remains anecdotal — not confirmed by reliable records (iransupercars.blogspot.com)
Modern Dive Site Overview
- Depth: ~205 ft (62 m), technical-advanced dive zone; highly intact structure with visible elevator wreckage and vehicles (Wisconsin Historical Society, Shipwreck Explorers, YouTube)
- Dive hazards: monofilament lines, limited Visibility, entanglement risks (YouTube)
- Access: penetration possible for skilled technical divers; site under sanctuary protection (no artifact removal allowed) (Wisconsin Historical Society)
- Rich documentation exists, including underwater filming and YouTube features (YouTube)
Heritage & Legal Status
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 (Ref#15000403) for its multifaceted significance—engineering, trade, investigation, diving innovation (Wisconsin Historical Society)
- Protected under Wisconsin state and federal law; unauthorized disturbance or artifact removal is illegal (Wisconsin Historical Society)