This sunken object's origin is so mysterious that even the DNR doesn't know the exact history.

There's a location in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota where you can see some remnants of history, still submerged over 120 years later.

Paddlers have been noticing it for years. Normally it's not exposed this much, but this dryer summer has kept the water levels lower.

Steve Kajala
Steve Kajala
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My friend Steve took these photos in Basswood Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Before this was a designated wilderness area, it was logged by timber companies.

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The location of this submerged object is in Hoist Bay. It's near the Good Creek entrance and across from Four Mile Portage.

google maps
google maps
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Some people think it's a submerged train. Others insist that it's part of a hoist on a pier that sank years ago. Whatever it is, it's likely a smokestack from an engine used. Whether it's from a hoist, sawmill machinery, or even a train, nobody knows for sure.

I reached out to contacts from the DNR, and they suggested that it must be part of an engine used for logging purposes. However it was back in the early 1900s, and not much of those operations were chronicled.

Steve Kajala
Steve Kajala
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On a BCWA community page, BCWA enthusiasts mention finding other abandoned equipment in the woods, even a very old car.

Ken Hayes
Ken Hayes
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Why hasn't someone removed this? Folks say it's sunken in mud and the amount of effort it would take to remove it wouldn't be worth it.

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Does anyone have any information about this? Please reach out and let me know. I'm open to more theories or knowledge on the mysterious piece of history.

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