by Kendra Kennedy
ACUA Board Member
Over the past several decades, public outreach has become a cornerstone of archaeology. Early antiquarians amassed artifacts and curiosities for their collections, often simply for their personal enjoyment. But as the discipline of archaeology evolved, research and fieldwork became more rigorous. Records and collections came to be housed in museums and other repositories where visitors could learn about, appreciate, and continue to study them. But even then, only those fortunate enough to have the time and money to visit museums could view and wonder at the items left behind by past civilizations.
Archaeologists came to realize that reaching out to a variety of audiences offered many benefits for both the discipline and the public. These benefits include building appreciation and stewardship of archaeological sites, justifying the funds spent on archaeological fieldwork by giving something back to the community, and validating research goals and aims in coordination with local partners, descendants, and others (Figure 1). Public outreach promotes protection of archaeological sites by local communities, fosters economic opportunities and local pride, and encourages discussion and collaboration between professionals and interested parties.
As with archaeology in general, maritime archaeology appeals to numerous audiences. Maritime archaeologists regularly reach out to recreational divers, technical divers, shipwreck enthusiasts and explorers, descendant communities, historians, history buffs, and more. Public outreach and access is even codified in the United States’ Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987, which states that “shipwrecks offer recreational and educational opportunities to sport divers and other interested groups, as well as irreplaceable State resources for tourism, biological sanctuaries, and historical research” and mandates that states provide reasonable access to abandoned shipwrecks so as to “guarantee recreational exploration of shipwreck sites.”
Maritime archaeologists in the Great Lakes region strive to meet user groups and enthusiasts where they are, share with them the results of research, and collaborate with them on projects. In Wisconsin, the long-established Maritime Preservation and Archaeology Program in the State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS; https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/records/article/CS4070) has developed several outreach tools to bring submerged archaeological sites to both the diving and non-diving public. These include the extremely popular Wisconsin Shipwrecks website (https://wisconsinshipwrecks.org/), created and hosted in collaboration with Wisconsin Sea Grant (https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/); waterproof dive and site guides (Figure 2); Maritime Trails Marker program; shipwreck mooring buoys; and a prolific schedule of public presentations and outreach activities.
About 10 years ago, maritime archaeologists at WHS realized there were potential new audiences for public outreach about maritime archaeology in Wisconsin – paddlers, snorkelers, and adventure tourists. Following the introduction of invasive zebra and quagga mussels (dreissenids) in the late 1980s and their subsequent population explosions, water clarity improved significantly in the Great Lakes. Although this change in water clarity is far from beneficial for many reasons, it has resulted in improved visibility of shallow shipwrecks from the lake’s surface. Where before two feet of visibility was the norm, shipwrecks as deep as 25 to 30 feet can now be viewed from the surface when conditions permit, especially in the spring and early summer. This environmental change meant kayakers, canoers, paddleboarders, boaters, and snorkelers could enjoy shipwrecks from the surface. Shipwrecks were no longer only visible to intrepid cold-water scuba divers. Paddling outfits and adventure tourism operators began designing tours and experiences that capitalized on these newly visible submerged resources (Figure 3 ).
Realizing this, the WHS maritime program began efforts to reach out to these new audiences through presentations and activities at paddling expos, like Madison’s Canoecopia (https://www.rutabaga.com/canoecopia/ ) and by working with existing groups that cater to paddlers and boaters. WHS’s waterproof site guides, Maritime Trails Markers, and shipwreck mooring buoys already offer benefits for these new user groups (Figure 4). The WHS maritime program also began working with other agencies, including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, to add shipwreck and shallow submerged archaeological site data to water tourism websites like the Lake Michigan State Water Trail (https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/watertrails/lakemichigan) and the Lake Superior Water Trail (https://www.nwrpc.com/868/Lake-Superior-Water-Trail). As new shallow archaeological sites are discovered and documented, including shipwrecks and vanished pier communities along the lakeshore, the WHS maritime program continues to add these resources to online websites, map viewers, and databases.
The effort to reach these new audiences has already begun to show promise, particularly with increased appreciation and stewardship of archaeological sites by the public. In the early 2020s, adventure tour guide Matt Olson began identifying potential shipwrecks in Door County and soon contacted the WHS maritime program to report his finds. In August 2025, Olson found yet another shipwreck in Door County. WHS maritime archaeologists quickly verified that Olson had identified the Frank D. Barker, which sank in 1887. WHS archaeologists are currently researching Frank D. Barker’s history and plan to conduct fieldwork at the site in May (Figure 5). Depending on the condition of the site, WHS maritime archaeologists may nominate the wreck for listing in the National Register of Historical Places. Excited about these new finds, Olson advocates for stewardship, “It’s important to protect and preserve these wrecks” (https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-shipwreck-door-county-frank-d-barker). Clearly, public outreach to new audiences is already reaping benefits for maritime archaeology, cultural heritage, and the people of Wisconsin.
Sincere thanks to Door County Adventure Rafting (https://doorcountyadventurerafting.com/), Door County Detours (https://dcdetours.com/), and Lakeshore Adventures (https://lakeshore-adventures.com/) for the kind permission to use their excellent images in this blog!
Categorised in: Deep Thoughts