The Twin Ports Are Home to Two Whalebacks—One Above Water, One Below

The S.S. Meteor is celebrating its 130th birthday this Saturday. The ship is the last-of-its-kind whaleback in the world. The Meteor is now a maritime museum on Barker's Island in Superior, Wisconsin. But did you know that this isn't the only whaleback in the Twin Ports? Another one sits just a mile away.

What's A Whaleback Ship?

Whaleback ships were designed in the late 1800s to solve a problem with shipping on the Great Lakes. Ships were limited (and still are) in size by having to navigate through the lock systems between the Great Lakes. Over a hundred years ago, it was common practice to tow schooners behind other ships to carry more cargo. The problem was that they were hard to tow due to propeller wash, waves, and other factors.

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So, Great Lakes Captain Alexander McDougall designed the whaleback ship, which was a success. The ships have a curved hull, with only the top of it being exposed above the water when it's loaded. That's what gives it the nickname the Whaleback.

Whaleback Shipwreck In Duluth

The SS Meteor is the last surviving Whaleback Ship. But, there's another one that's underwater.

The Thomas Wilson was a whaleback ship that collided with the George Hadley, a wooden steamer, in 1902, less than a mile from the Duluth Harbor. The ship's stern is said to be mostly intact, and its wreck is in just 70 feet of water. The ship is still in the shipping lane entering the Duluth Harbor, and in the years since, other ships have dragged anchor over the wreck.

Read More: The Time A Ghost Ship Charged A Freighter On Lake Superior

A video from 2009 had better than usual conditions, and you can see what's left of the wreck.