Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve | |
---|---|
Underwater Preserves | |
Location | Lake Huron (Alcona, Alpena, and Presque Isle counties, Michigan) |
Nearest city | Alpena, Michigan |
Coordinates | 45°00′12″N 83°15′11″W / 45.0034°N 83.253°W |
Area | 4,300 sq mi (11,000 km2) |
Established | 2000 |
Governing body | Michigan Department of Natural Resources, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve is a
History
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration established Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve in 2000. It became the thirteenth overall and first on the Great Lakes. Original boundaries followed that of Alpena County to 83 degrees west longitude totaling 448 square miles (1,160 km2). In 2014 it was expanded to 4,300 square miles (11,000 km2).[2] The marine sanctuary contains many shipwrecks, such as the hull of package freighter SS Pewabic.
Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
Tied to the sanctuary is the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. The museum, located in Alpena on the Thunder Bay River, features exhibits about local shipwrecks and the Great Lakes, an auditorium, an archaeological conservation lab, and education areas.
See also
- List of shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
- Michigan Underwater Preserves
- Rockport State Park
References
- ^ Statement of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Director Archived 2007-07-15 at the Wayback Machine
- NOAA. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
External links
- Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve NOAA
- Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center NOAA
- Michigan Underwater Preserve Council
- "In Michigan, a Park Made of Water" – New York Times