Largest shipwrecks on the Great Lakes Largest shipwrecks on the Great Lakes The Great Lakes are the largest bodies of freshwater in the world. They are five giant freshwater lakes, named Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Thousands of vessels have sailed on the lakes from the late 15th century to the present day. Thousands of ships sank on the lakes from 1679 when "LaSalle"'s wooden barque the "Le Griffon" was lost, to the 1975 sinking of the giant freighter "Edmund Fitzgerald" on Lake Superior. Many of these shipwrecks were never found, so the exact number of wrecks will never be
Largest shipwrecks on the Great Lakes known. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum estimates that about 6,000 shipwrecks lie beneath the surface of the lakes, while maritime historian Mark Thompson reckons that more than 25,000 shipwrecks are located in the waters of the Great Lakes. ! scope="col"|Ship ! scope="col"|In service ! scope="col"|Out of service ! scope="col"|Length (ft) ! scope="col"|Vessel type ! scope="col"|Launched ! scope="col"|Final disposition ! scope="col"|Notes ! scope="col"|Coordinates !scope="row"|"SS Leecliffe Hall !scope="row"|"SS Edmund Fitzgerald !scope="row"|"SS Carl D. Bradley !scope="row"|"SS Daniel J. Morrell !scope="row"|"SS William C Moreland !scope="row"|"SS Cedarville !scope="row"|"SS Chester A. Congdon !scope="row"|"SS D.R. Hanna !scope="row"|"SS James C. Carruthers !scope="row"|"SS Henry B. Smith !scope="row"|"SS Emperor !scope="row"|"SS