| Depth: |
130 Feet | |
Condition: |
The hull lies upright, with deck beams and sides intact.
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the Wisconsin lies upright on the bottom in 130 feet of water, seven miles southeast of Kenosha, Wis., at N 42° 31.80' W 087° 42.55'. Water temperature in summer months varies between 39 and 48º F. Visibility ranges from 40 to 60 feet, and mild currents often run along her hull.
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Anchor chain wraps around the bow and runs off into the sand.
Photo: Tamara Thomsen
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The port anchor chain is bent around the bow, running to the northeast, where the anchor is still firmly embedded in the clay bottom. The upper cabins were blown off at the time of her sinking, but her main deck beams are still intact, and the smoke stack lies along her engine tops. The ship’s
capstan
remains perched at the bow upon the deck beams. The bright red paint of the Goodrich Lines was visible until only recently. It’s now covered by zebra mussels.
Many artifacts were recovered between the 1960s and 1980s, including the starboard anchor, ship’s wheel, main whistle, purser’s safe, engine room clock and gauges, and much more. Three cars, a Hudson, Essex, and Chevrolet, are still parked in her hold, visible through a portside
gangway
. The immense triple-expansion steam engine is visible from the main deck. The ceiling of the engine room is lined with ornately carved wooden crown molding. Remnants of the passenger cabins, such as porcelain sinks and portions of cabin walls, can be found strewn about the deck. There is a blast hole near the starboard bow from commercial salvage attempts during the early 1930s. The hole allows easy access to the lower cargo holds, where the white paint on the bulkheads is visible. Boxes of package freight, containing general merchandise, are strewn about the deck. A cargo tractor and cargo carts are visible in the hold.
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