This image provided by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society shows the wreck of the bulk carrier Arlington, a merchant ship loaded with wheat that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on May 1, 1940. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society announced Monday with shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain that the Arlington’s wreck has been discovered in about 650 feet of water some 35 miles north of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. The ship’s crew survived the 1940 sinking but the Arlington’s captain went down with his ship. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society via AP)

A Monday release from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society and shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain, states Fountain discovered a 244-foot bulk carrier, the Arlington, in 650 feet of water, about 35 miles north of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

The Arlington was a Canadian ship that sank in a storm on May 1, 1940. On April 28, 2020, the Huronia Museum commemorated the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Arlington by publishing an article written by Midland, Canada resident and local historian Dean Nicholls.

Nicholls stated that the S.S. Arlington was built in 1913 at Detroit Shipyard, in service called a “canaller,” steel-hulled, propeller-driven to accommodate Great Lakes narrow locks and river systems. She was 244 feet long and 43 feet in width, comfortably able to slide through the locks.

On April 30, 1940, the Arlington left Port Arthur, Ontario, fully loaded with wheat en route to Owen Sound, Ontario, the release says. She was under command of Capt. Frederick “Tatey Bug” Burke, a seasoned veteran of the lakes. Dense fog greeted the Arlington and a larger freighter, the Collingwood, as they made their way across Lake Superior.

Nicholls wrote that the Arlington was purchased in 1937 by Burke Towing and Salvage Company, which was owned and operated by the Burkes brothers of Midland, Ontario, and was equipped with the most modern navigational equipment available at that time. As new owners, brothers and also captains, Edward and David Burke persuaded their younger brother Frederick, to become her captain.

As Burke left Port Arthur, on April 30, in a dense fog, he was followed by a larger freighter, the Collingwood, as they made their way across Lake Superior, the Monday release states. Nicholls wrote that the Collingwood, also hauling grain, captained by Thomas Carson, had decided to stay in the Arlington’s wake, because he knew the Arlington was fitted equipped with better navigational equipment.

As the day turned to night the fog turned into a storm and battered both ships. The Arlington started to take on water. Carson remained behind the Arlington, Nicholls wrote.

The GLHS release states that Macksey, ordered a course to hug the Canadian North Shore, which would have provided some cover from wind and waves, but Capt. Burke countermanded the order … and ordered his ship back on its course across the open lake.

Between breaks in the snowstorm, Carson observed that the Arlington was struggling. As the weather worsened he wondered at the changes of direction and reverses, but stayed his distance, wrote Nicholls. He piloted his vessel closer to the Arlington when he glimpsed First Mate Junis Macksey readying lifeboats. Carson came to within 220 yards and prepared to take her hands aboard. Suddenly the Arlington rolled unsteadily to port, and then back to starboard away and down. Recovered were 23 sailors excluding the captain who was not with them.

Over the last 10 years, shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain has been studying remote sensing data in the search for shipwrecks in Lake Superior. After coming across a particularly deep anomaly, he reached out to the Shipwreck Society for help in identifying the potential wreck. In 2023, GLSHS Director of Marine Operations, Darryl Ertel, Mr. Fountain and crew of the R/V David Boyd, towed a Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar over the anomaly and soon realized it was in-fact a shipwreck. Later ROV dives positively identified the submerged hulk the Arlington.