Scientists at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign work across the breadth, and in this case, the depth, of Illinois. Recently, researchers at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) and Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS), divisions of PRI, teamed up to record the shipwreck of the Solon Johnson, Illinois’ first submerged cultural resource.
In the summer of 2019, ISGS chief scientist Steve Brown was gathering bathymetric data off the coast of Illinois Beach State Park when he discovered something unexpected. Instead of the usual lake bottom sands and sediments, his monitors displayed the ghostly image of a sunken ship. While hundreds of shipwrecks in Lake Michigan are known, particularly among the sport diving community, virtually all are undocumented by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Shipwrecks like this one are remnants of Chicago's maritime industry that fueled the city's growth during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Concerned about the discovery of the shipwreck, Brown sought assistance from ISAS researchers, Michael Aiuvalasit and Thomas Loebel, to confirm the wreck's identity and location. The investigation confirmed that the shipwreck was the Solon Johnson, which was initially identified in 2011 by the Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago, a group of divers and researchers interested in shipwrecks. The Solon Johnson, a steam barge, departed from Pentwater, MI, carrying lumber to Chicago, IL. On November 24, 1887, the ship broke apart in a storm eight and a half miles from the Kenosha, WI, port and 160 yards from the shore. The crew were all rescued.
Following the investigation, the wreck was registered with the SHPO as site 11L972. To address concerns over potential impacts to the wreck during the ISGS monitoring work, an avoidance plan and memo were drafted and submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Sensors were adjusted to avoid the wreck and establish an exclusion area, ensuring the safety of projects in the area while also preserving the wreck's integrity.
While over 70,000 land-based archaeological and historical resources have been documented in Illinois, this collaborative effort by PRI researchers marked the first official recording of a submerged archaeological resource with the SHPO. Cooperative work is underway between PRI, SHPO, and other stakeholders to document, protect, and promote Chicago’s rich maritime history.
The coastal data collection project was funded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program
