Sunken Ship That Helped Build Chicago Beaches And Field Museum Discovered

CHICAGO — The remains of a late-19th century ship — once used to pump sand to extend Chicago's beachfront and deliver supplies to build the Field Museum — has been discovered submerged near Michigan.

The skeleton of the 160-foot-long ship, the L.L. Barth, was found near Harbor Island near Grand Haven, Mich. Lower lake water levels aided the discovery, the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association said.

The iron-clad, wooden ship — named after Louis L. Barth, an early executive with the Chicago area-based Edward Hines Lumber Co. — was built in 1889.

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