Unraveling the Mystery of the Lake Michigan Triangle | The Bermuda Triangle of the Great Lakes

Most people have heard of the Bermuda Triangle — the mysterious spot in the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of ships and airplanes have gone down into the deep, dark waters of the sea. However, many are not aware that there’s a similarly strange spot in Michigan known as the Lake Michigan Triangle.

The Lake Michigan Triangle is generally defined as an area between Ludington Michigan and Benton Harbor Michigan while also stretching to Manitowoc Wisconsin. Over the course of hundreds of years, there are many instances of strange events that have occurred in this region of Lake Michigan, most of which cannot be explained away by logic or reason.

These are a few interesting — and slightly spooky — facts about the Lake Michigan Triangle.

The First Strange Happening Occurred in the 17th Century

The vast majority of eerie situations that people reference from the Lake Michigan Triangle have occurred between 1850 and 1950, with a few more modern incidents to consider. However, the first reported happening took place in 1679.

In the latter half of the 17th century, the Great Lakes played a pivotal role in the fur trade route. In 1679, the mighty trade ship Le Griffon embarked on its maiden voyage. The ship was intending to use the Great Lakes to navigate the most efficient northwest passage to the Far East in hopes of expanding the fur trade to Japan and China.

However, the ship never made it past Lake Michigan’s icy waters. It seemingly disappeared within the confines of the Lake Michigan Triangle, and while it’s widely assumed that the ship sank below to the depths of the lake, no trace of its wreckage, its cargo, or its crew was ever recovered.

The Modern Mystery Tale Began in the 19th Century

While many consider the disappearance of the Le Griffon to be the first recorded mysterious incident within the triangle, there are a lot of researchers who feel that the story truly begins in the 19th century.

Lake Michigan was traversed by many schooners over the years, and the large and mighty Thomas Hume seemed strong enough to sail along the waters of this great lake. This majestic, three-masted schooner was on a journey between Chicago Illinois and Muskegon Michigan in 1891.

During one dark and windy night in the midst of Lake Michigan’s mysterious triangle, the schooner vanished beneath the waves. Like the Le Griffon, it seemed as if the Thomas Hume disappeared into thin air. None of its wreckage was uncovered for decades, but ultimately, divers found what they believe to be the remains of the ship in 2006.

There is still ongoing research being performed to confirm that this wreckage does belong to the Thomas Hume and to confirm what happened to the schooner on that fateful night.

Ships — and Crew Members — Continued to Disappear in the 20th Century

At the time that the Thomas Hume disappeared, people began to wonder about what was taking shape in the Lake Michigan Triangle. From that moment on, it seemed as if strange and mysterious things were occurring on a regular basis, which was making sailors antsy and bystanders curious.

One of the more peculiar incidents took place in 1921 when the Rosa Belle was overturned in the rocky waves of Lake Michigan. The ship itself was found floating upside down, but all of its 11 crew members had disappeared entirely.

No evidence pointed to the cause of the shipwreck, and no one could understand what happened to all of the people who were on board. There had been ships nearby in the waters of Lake Michigan, and none of them reported any sightings of shipwrecks, collisions, or crew mates in distress.

This story of unexplained disappearances was a bone-chilling one that led to many rumors about the triangle, with some claiming that it was a portal that ushered people through the folds of time.

Once, the Story of a Missing Student Defied the Odds

Later in the 20th century (1978), an even more questionable situation took place near the shores of the Lake Michigan Triangle. A Michigan college student was enjoying some late winter cross-country skiing along the glistening coastline of Lake Michigan when he seemed to disappear into the waters of the lake.

It was a solo excursion, so there were no friends or family members to explain what happened. The only sign of his disappearance was a few footprints in the snow near the water’s edge.

It was assumed that he had frozen or drowned in the lake, however, the student was found alive and well more than a year later — and over 700 miles away. When asked about what happened that day or why he was in that location, he had no memory of the event. Even he could not explain what happened near the seemingly powerful Great Lakes Triangle.

Weather Events Are a Hallmark of Mysterious Lake Michigan Triangle Happenings

As people have recounted the tales of the triangle or the things they have heard about this mysterious force within the waters of Lake Michigan, it seems that there is always one thing in common — strange weather tends to occur in this part of the lake.

In some cases, the winds pick up so quickly that ships do not have time to prepare or navigate through them. In other cases, blocks of ice have literally fallen from a clear and cloudless sky. Sailors have actually brought back chunks of ice to prove what happened to them — they felt as if no one would believe them if they tried to tell the tales of their abnormal experiences.

Whether it’s the depth of the lake in that particular area or a force that extends beyond our earthly realm, it seems that if you are going to traverse your way through this triangle, you should be prepared for unexpected, powerful weather events to occur.

Extreme Turbulence Over the Lake Michigan Triangle Took Down a Flight

While many of the stories about the mysterious Lake Michigan Triangle involve ships and sailors, there are reports of planes coming down from the skies over this same stretch of water.

In 1950, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501 was heading to Minneapolis Minnesota from the state of New York, carrying 55 passengers as well as three crew members on board. While the plane was flying over the lake, the pilot signaled to air traffic control that the plane would descend to a cruising altitude because it had encountered unexpected turbulence.

Shortly after that message was relayed, the plane disappeared completely from the radar. All of the passengers and crew members died in the terrible tragedy. No one quite understood why the plane went down, and to make it even more difficult to comprehend, the wreckage of the plane was never recovered.

Researchers Have Found an Underwater Stone Structure in Lake Michigan

Ancient stone structures — such as Stonehenge in England — have long mystified researchers and archaeologists. Local lore has always associated these stone structures with paranormal or heavenly activity, and they are often situated in places that align with the stars or the sun’s patterns around Earth.

Many people are surprised to find out that one of these ancient structures has been found in the waters of Lake Michigan within the boundaries of the triangle. Researchers have kept the location a secret for fear that divers and curious swimmers would attempt to disrupt the underwater rock formations.

At this time, scientists do not know how or when the structure was built — or if it was a naturally-occurring structure — the only evidence is that there is a painting of a mastodon on one of the boulders. Mastodons have been extinct for more than 10,000 years, which suggests that this structure is truly an ancient marvel.

Knowing that something so strange and mysterious is located within the triangle certainly may explain some of the interesting events that have taken place there.

Some Claim They Have Experienced Paranormal Activity Over the Waters of Lake Michigan

As word spreads about the Lake Michigan Triangle, bystanders are starting to notice weird things happening over the waters. Some attribute bright flashing lights over the water to paranormal activity, while others feel that bursts of light are proof that alien creatures are interacting with those who traverse the waters.

While there is no definitive proof of any of this — or of any unseen force manipulating the waters of Lake Michigan — there are certainly a lot of interesting anecdotes to ponder.

The Great Lakes Triangle Mystery Lives On

The Bermuda Triangle is a legend that has received worldwide acclaim, but the happenings of the Lake Michigan Triangle are equally mysterious. For some reason, though, fewer people are aware of this large, triangular expanse in the lake that seems to lend itself to mysterious occurrences.

These facts and findings prove that there is something slightly peculiar about the large, acute Lake Michigan Triangle.

Have you ever experienced unexplained events when traversing the waters of Lake Michigan in this region?