Ancient “Stonehenge” under Lake Michigan

One of the most mysterious underwater buildings is the Ancient “Stonehenge” under Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is one of North America's five Great Lakes. After Lake Superior and Lake Huron, it is the second-largest Great Lake by volume (4,900 km3) and the third-largest by surface area (58,030 km2). To the east, its basin joins Lake Huron's through the 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 kilometers) wide, 295 feet (90 meters; 49 fathoms) deep Straits of Mackinac, giving it the same surface height as its eastern counterpart; the two are essentially one lake. The only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States is the largest of the Great Lakes. Located south of Lake Superior, it is linked to Lake Huron via the Mackinac Strait, as well as the Mississippi River system via the Chicago Canal. Hydrographically, Michigan, and Huron form a single system, although geographically, they are considered different lakes.

Underwater archeologist Mark Holley was searching for shipwrecks on the bottom of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay in 2007, according to Brianna Randall (a discover magazine author). Instead, he came across a series of stones supposed to have been built by ancient humans, including one with what appeared to be a mastodon carving. The subsequent press presentation generated buzz about a "Stonehenge-like structure" discovered beneath Lake Michigan.

According to Space (an Earth Chronicles News writer), they believe that this edifice, comparable to Stonehenge, is about 9000 years old, but there is an amazing engraving in the shape of the mastodon, which went out more than 10,000 years ago, on one of the stones. The exact coordinates of the discovery are still unknown; this restriction was imposed by local Indian tribes that do not want visitors and curious on their land.

Great sheets of glacial ice extended south from the North Pole at the time these stone constructions were created, and water levels were much lower than they are today. The Great Lakes were up to 300 feet deeper than they are now, revealing miles more land than we see today.

Location: Lake Michigan, United States
Depth: 12m
Dating: 9000 years old