Explore our nation’s maritime history and heritage above and beneath the waves at Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary.
Lake Ontario, as the easternmost of the Great Lakes, serves as a bridge between the Upper Great Lakes and their natural outlet to the Atlantic Ocean, via the St. Lawrence River. Lake Ontario’s maritime history has been shaped for centuries by this unique geographic setting, and by its evolving relationship with maritime commerce on the Upper Lakes throughout the 19th century, marked by the construction of the Erie, Oswego, Welland, and St. Lawrence Canals.
From the lakes role as the ancestral and present homeland of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, to its significance in the westward expansion of the French and British empires, through the conflicts of the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812, and into the thriving maritime commerce of the 19th century, Lake Ontario offers a rich history and heritage to experience and explore both above and below its waters.
Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary protects a nationally-significant collection of nearly 70 historic shipwrecks and aircraft that provide tangible links to Lake Ontario’s unique place within the maritime history of the Great Lakes. Many more shipwrecks remain to be found. These shipwrecks are fragile, non-renewable historic sites. Please partner with us in stewarding and preserving these sites for future generations by avoiding contact with the wrecks and not handling or disturbing any artifacts you may discover.
Nearly 70 historic shipwrecks and one historic aircraft rest within the sanctuary, testifying to the region’s rich history. These sites now provide opportunities for exploration, research and recreation
