THE SEARCH FOR THE WESTMORELAND

On April 19th at 7:00 p.m., the Allegan County Historical Society will present a FREE program, open to the public, in the upstairs Carnegie Room of the Allegan District Library.  Diver Ross Richardson will speak on "The Search for the Westmoreland."

 

The 200 ft. passenger steamer, The Westmoreland, foundered off the coast of northern Michigan in 1854, loaded with a rumored cargo of gold and whiskey.  For years the ship lay undiscovered at the bottom of the lake.  At least a dozen diving expeditions were unsuccessful until the summer of 2010, when Benzie County resident Ross Richardson discovered it during a solo dive.

 

The Historical Society invites you to spend an evening hearing Mr. Richardson's tales of the legend, the history and the discovery of The Westmoreland, including a media presentation to accompany his talk.  He has spent the last ten years searching for and documenting shipwrecks off the coast of western Michigan, working with Clive Cussler's NUMA Team (National Underwater and Marine Agency), Dave Trotter, and the Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates.  His popular programs have taken him all over the Great Lakes area, from the Ghost Ships Festival in Milwaukee to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival in Ann Arbor.

 

Please join the Historical Society for this interesting program.  Refreshments will be served.