‘Cursed’ Ship Vanished 115 Years Ago With 14 Crew Discovered In Minnesota's Lake Superior

Historians in Michigan have revealed the uncovering of a shipwreck that is over a hundred years old, at the depths of Lake Superior. Adella Shores, a steamship constructed from wood in 1894, vanished under mysterious circumstances on May 1, 1909, while en route to Duluth, Minnesota, loaded with salt. None of the vessel’s 14 crew members were ever reported again, as per the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS), situated in Paradise, Michigan. The ship derived its name from the Shores Lumber Company. Its builder and the daughter of the owner was named Adella. Researchers uncovered various remnants of the vessel, including its boiler, cargo hold, and port bow, at the bottom of Lake Superior. Despite discovering debris, there was no indication of the sailors’ remains. Bruce E Lynn, the executive director of GLSHS, informed Fox News Digital that shipwrecks in the Great Lakes were more frequent than commonly assumed.

Lynn pointed out that weather forecasting back then lacked the precision we have today, leaving ships such as the Adella Shores vulnerable to rapidly escalating situations they couldn’t navigate safely. Factors like poor visibility often led to complications, and collisions between vessels were relatively frequent due to the higher volume of ship traffic. Adella Shores had previously sunk twice, both instances attributed to ice at docks. It was likely a storm that ultimately resulted in its fatal shipwreck in 1909. The wreck was found in 2021, but the historical society takes its time to thoroughly research discovered vessels before making public announcements about its findings.

The ship’s sinking twice and final shipwreck are considered by many as the result of a self imposed curse. At the time of the ship’s construction, it was customary to christen a new vessel by breaking a bottle of wine over its bow.Since the owner of the shipbuilding company and his family abstained from alcohol, they opted to break a water bottle instead. Adella’s sister, Bessie, performed this ceremony. This is believed to have brought bad luck and hence the Adella Shores was considered cursed.