Five Famous Shipwrecks Waiting to Be Discovered-- Part 2: Griffon, Endurance and Bon Homme Richard

From the April 30 History Mysterious History.

3.  THE GRIFFIN

The first sailing ship on the Great Lakes.  The Griffin (or Le was a three-masted vessel built by French explorer LaSalle during his exploration of the lakes.  It disappeared in 1679.  It is considered the "Holy Grail of the Great Lakes" shipwrecks.

4.  SHACKLETON'S ENDURANCE

In 1914, Ernest Shackleton set sail for his expedition to Antarctica and the South Pole.  But the Endurance got caught in the ice and had its hull cracked.  Shackleton and the crew escaped by making an 800 mile voyage in a lifeboat, but the whereabouts of his Endurance are not known.

5.  BON HOMME RICHARD

A French donation to the American cause under command of John Paul Jones.  In 1779, it captured 16 British vessels off the coast of England.  On September 23 it fought the British frigate HMS Serapis.  Jones had not yet begun to fight and won, but the Bon Homme Richard sank and no one has been able to find it.

--Cootship

Illinois' Chain of Lakes-- Part 10: Expulsion of Indians and Coming of the Railroad Had Huge Impact

The area in northeastern Illinois now referred to as the Chain of Lakes was once home to a semi-nomadic Indian tribe.  French trappers and traders, including fur trapper Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette were said to have explored the area in the mid-17th century although no last settlements were founded.  Just passing through.

The area, which is roughly equidistant from Milwaukee and Chicago, did not quickly become settled by Europeans and colonists due to difficulty traveling to the area.  However, the expulsion of the Indians and coming of the railroads opened the area tremendously.

The railroads not only helped get products to market, but also brought vacationers from Chicago out for the recreation offered.

The Chain Became a Big Tourist Area.  --Cooter