Old Car Found In Winnipesaukee

[Senter Cove Guy]

In the late 1950’s or early 1960’s, I heard a story about a car that had gone through the ice in the 1930’s or 1940’s just off of Haley Point in the Northeast corner of Lake Winnipesaukee. As kids, we used to snorkel out there a lot but never saw a sunken car. I knew a fellow who had SCUBA dived to find the car in the early 1960's, but he didn’t find it.

After graduating from college, I continued to spend part of every summer in Melvin Village. I thought about the car every summer. I finally decided to become a certified SCUBA diver in 1980 so that I could rent diving equipment from the dive shop in Wolfeboro so I could dive to find the car. I became a certified SCUBA diver in May 1981 but did not actually dive to try and find the car until 1991. We were unsuccessful.

In 2002, I talked to people in Melvin Village who I thought might have some knowledge of the car. I found out that a man had drowned when the car went through the ice and was able to locate his grave. I obtained the man’s date of death and went to the Wolfeboro Library and looked at their microfilm copies of The Granite State News. I found an article about the drowning on the front page of the March 5, 1937 issue. This confirmed to me that the car had, indeed, gone through the ice on February 26, 1937. A woman passenger in the car was saved. The man’s body was recovered about 20 feet from the car by a hardhat diver the following day. The newspaper article said that the car was in 35 feet of water.

In 2003, again searching for information to help pinpoint the location of the car, I located and spoke to an eye-witness to the accident. After 66 years, she was unable to remember details of the accident.

In 2004, I finally decided to simply do some more diving to locate the car. I found the car on August 23, 2004. It is upright and sitting, slightly tilted front end down, in about 25 feet of water. The car still has some structure remaining but all of the top and the interior has rusted out. The two front headlights and radiator are in place. It is a 2-door Oldsmobile as identified by the radiator medallion and hubcaps. It has a 6 cylinder engine and spoke wheels. This information says that it is an Oldsmobile manufactured probably between the mid-1920’s to very early 1930’s.

February 26, 2025 marked the 88th anniversary of this local tragedy.

See post #42 for a video taken in August 2013.

Attached below are 3 PDF documents about the car.

[Island Girl]

Congratulations on your successful dive. The artifacts are great.

I find it interesting that both of the deceased man's sisters are married and their last names are Davis. Did they marry brothers?

[Rattlesnake Gal]

What an excellent addition to the lakes history! You must have been so excited to find such a unforgotten treasure in Winnipesaukee. Glad you were so determined to locate it and didn’t give up.
Thank you Senter Cove Guy for sharing this with us. Very cool stuff. :coolsm:

[Just Sold]

Thanks for documenting more of the lakes history. A great story of then and now.
Your dedication to finding the car and the story behind it and then bringing it to everyone here and in the paper last October is really wonderful.

[Grant]

I have to add a little sidebar to the car saga, as there's a forum link.

Senter Cove Guy and I became dive buddies a few years ago when he e-mailed me through the forum. Seems we're sorta Lake neighbors. At the time, he sent me a very detailed letter explaining how he'd been looking for the car for years, and now wanted to dive and locate it, and also included the scan of the Grunter article from 1937.

Well, to make a long story short, we've since enjoyed numerous dives together, from one end of the Lake to the other. But we never dove the car together...for various reasons...not for lack of his desire to get there! (More like high boat traffic in the area, me being convinced that there would be nothing left of the car, etc.) So when he e-mailed me late last August with word that he'd located the car, I was absolutely thrilled. It only seems proper that he should find it -- having invested so much research into the incident.

And thanks to Don for providing the forum that hooked me up with a great local dive buddy who is ALWAYS game for plunge! Looking forward to getting back beneath the surface of the Lake this spring so we can take a look at this "wreck" and some of the rest of the stuff at the bottom. Can May get here any faster? :D

[Senter Cove Guy]

I find it interesting that both of the deceased man's sisters are married and their last names are Davis. Did they marry brothers?

I believe the answer is yes they did. I've actually talked with 4 relatives of the deceased man and am sure that fact was mentioned.

When I was interviewed by Roger Amsden of The Weirs Times, I related to him that one of the relatives of the deceased man told me that he was wearing a heavy wool coat which must have weighed him down and prevented him from reaching the surface. However, several days later, another relative indicated that he successfully exited from the underwater car and knocked himself unconscious on underwater ice while trying to reach the surface. This relative also told me that the diver who located the body had to make three dives, at $100 per dive, to find him. That was a lot of money in those days.

I was also told that Mary Sullivan, the passenger in the ill-fated car, had been living in California in recent years but had passed away in the last 2-3 years. The eye-witness that I spoke with also passed away last year.

This is the end of a quest for me and now I'm looking for a new lake adventure. Feel free to email me if you know of other "sunken objects" that might be worth looking for.

[Lady Di]

When learning to water ski, I was always afraid of what was under the water.

Mostly I skiied on the big Ossipee. It's pretty shallow. The color of Ossipee is golden. No problem there. But on Broad Bay, where we lived, it was dark and creepy. I guess one gets more timid as one gets older. Now I only like swimming in a pool, where there are no weeds or boats, or bodies.

I am chicken, compared to then.

[Lady Di]

they were.

I have to protect myself and my son and his new family in Meredith.

[Steve]

Too bad the passenger passed away. As I read the article, I wondered what she would have thought, so many years later, of seeing pictures of the car on the bottom of the lake. Of course, it would have brought back some scary memories, and sad ones, of her companion not making it through the accident.

Thanks for sharing this, my wife and I really found it interesting.

[Senter Cove Guy]

The winged spur design of the radiator shell emblem was first used in 1928, and the hub cap design was also from that year. The radiator shell and headlight shapes are consistent with the 1928 Model F28 also, and are much different than the earlier four cylinder models. The only part that doesn't fit is that Oldsmobile only produced a six cylinder in 1928.

I searched the internet this evening looking for a picture of an F28 model and came up with the attached. This picture looks very close. I will dive the car again this spring and will again review the distributor cap to make sure that we didn't miscount the wires the first time.

[Lin]

neat article and photos. I found it very interesting and informative. Really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

[glennsteely]

I think things on the bottom of the lake are the neatest things and I never heard this one before. I would think that there would be a number of cars on the bottom with everyone driving on the ice......does anyone else know of any? Also, what is this place I hear about called the graveyard? Anyone? Anyone?

[BroadHopper]

The graveyard has nothing to do with junks from human beings. Rather it is a gift from God to keep Moultonboro Bay and beyond from the intimidated. It is between Whortleberry and Chases Island. May be a good place to snorkle as it is shallow but it is mostly sand and rocks. I wonder if anyone in the Forum has a story to tell as to why this area got its name???? :eek:

[SIKSUKR]

I would think it's from all of the boats that have"died" in there from hitting the numerous rocks that are found in that area. SS

[Grant]

My understanding of "The Graveyard," having grown up in its vicinity, is that it was named as such because of all the rocks sticking up. With the sparring buoys, it's a complete no-brainer to navigate -- I'd say the more hazardoud area is the nearby location of "Bizer Rock," an area that Senter Cove Guy can easily navigate in his boat by site!

[glennsteely]

are there more out there to be found, or found already? I love cars and I love being underwater.....is the graveyard a good fishing hole? no one has to worry, I am a catch and release fisherman now a days.....(except saltwater) please let me know, about the cars, and the fish.......did anyone notice the smallie in the one picture? I love this kind of thing, it will make my first trip up this year a little more interesting. Thanks. :)

[Senter Cove Guy]

I'd like to read more about your Lake diving finds. It gives a perspective on the Lake that most of us will never experience. What's it like down there? Can you dive in the Broads, or is it too dangerous? Have you or your fellow divers ever found any Indian artifacts on the lake bottom? Have you ever dived in Waukewan?

Diving for me is a very calming experience. I love it down there. It's pretty quiet except for the sound of your bubbles. There's a lot of muck, sand, leaves, rocks and fish. And yes, there's wrecks, artifacts and treasures. Winnipesaukee Divers is the master of finding treasures. Search the Forum archives for some of his stories. Grant likes to search for old bottles. A really old bottle can be worth some cash.

Even in mid-summer, the water at 60 feet deep is cold. Gloves and a hood are a must. The visibility in Winnipesaukee last summer was not very good, 7 - 10 feet around the car in 29 feet of water. A little better in deeper water although the sunlight disappears quickly as you descend. Your dive buddy's facial skin takes on a gray and ghoulish look.

To my knowledge there's nothing dangerous in The Broads but nobody dives there because it's so deep and not much to see even if you could see it.

Hope that gives you a little perspective of what it's like down there.

I've never dived in Waukewan but perhaps I will someday.

I'm looking forward to doing some wreck diving in the St. Lawrence River this summer with the folks from Dive Winnipesaukee.

[KTO]

I love being underwater.....

Ever consider spending more time there?





(By the way, I'm just kidding! :D )

[glennsteely]

I just love the water, period. My 2 year old can swim already. Fish runs in the family, we havent evolved all the way yet. I will spend as much time as a set of twin 80's will allow, above and beyond that, I dont know......Good jokes, keep them coming! :D

[Skipper of the Sea Que]

My understanding of "The Graveyard," having grown up in its vicinity, is that it was named as such because of all the rocks sticking up. ...

The story I heard about the Graveyard had to do with horses. Long ago, when the lake was a bit lower, that area was a good crossing place for horses. They were usually pack animals and would transport items through that area rather than going around the lake. Most places were rather shallow and the horses didn't have to swim very much. Some of the horses would not complete the trip. Either falling, tripping, hoof caught between rocks, wandering off the "path" or whatever. Anyway, skeletal remains of those horses that didn't make it across could be seen in the water around that area. It looked like a graveyard and hence the name.

Anyone else heard this or shed some light on the Graveyard name?

(almost had my fill of snow for this season :) )

[Grant]

Al -- Hadn't heard that one, although it certainly seems in keeping with genuine Lake Lore...

That in mind, I want to dive the area around the Graveyard this summer -- the area around Little Huck seems to drop off quite nicely.

We'll see what there is to be found!!

[mcdude]

Senter Cove Guy: What a wonderful job you have done with this thread. The old newspaper account and photo of what the car would have looked like made this story come alive for me. Great stuff, thanks. McD

[Senter Cove Guy]

I've been in contact with a product expert at General Motors Media Archive. He reviewed the pictures of the car and believes that it is a 1930 model, (or possibly a late 1929).

He confirmed that the "winged spur" design on the radiator medallion was used by Oldsmobile from 1929 to 1948. The car had only 1 rear tail light. Two rear tail lights were an option until 1932 when 2 tail lights became standard equipment.

That's probably as close as we'll get with identification.

[Outlaw]

Absolutely fabulous post Senter Cove Guy ! Spectacular write up, articles and photos. I was so captivated while reading the articles. Thank you for this piece !!

[Senter Cove Guy]

I recently found this website (http://handofshand.com/1929%20Oldsmobile.htm) which has a 360 degree tour of an actual 1929 Oldsmobile including pictures of the interior. It simply provides another perspective of yesteryear.

[Cobalt 25]

Senter Cove Guy,

Thanks for sharing a great story. I admire your perseverance!

Now that you've done all the work, are you comfortable sharing the location so that others may see it? I haven't been motivated to dive for a while, but this automobile has certainly provided some inspiration.

I would understand completely if you were not interested in sharing the location. Some things are better left undisturbed.

Peter

[Diver1111]

Senter Cove Guy-thanks for the update-very interesting; I was aware of that car thanks to you and Grant;

While researching the alleged "Rum Boat" I came across the attached article from 1925; I've tried scanning for it but I would imagine there is not much left of it. Would be a neat find but I don't spend time actively looking for it anymore.

To enlarge the pdf text try hitting the plus/minus arrow at the top.

[Hippie Girl]

Thank you Senter Cove Guy,
For bringing this old post up, I had not seen it before.
Very interesting.

HG

[secondcurve]

Senter Cove Guy-thanks for the update-very interesting; I was aware of that car thanks to you and Grant;

While researching the alleged "Rum Boat" I came across the attached article from 1925; I've tried scanning for it but I would imagine there is not much left of it. Would be a neat find but I don't spend time actively looking for it anymore.

To enlarge the pdf text try hitting the plus/minus arrow at the top.

Diver: That would be a very difficult area to dive in given all the boat traffic in the area wouldn't it? Given this, it probably has never been visited??

[Diver1111]

I have dived it twice off season looking for the car after scanning it-both this spring in early late April-early May. In deeper water-say30 feet to the southwest coming out of the channel I could hear boats overhead periodically. I did cross the channel itself swimming towards Govs. Island several times in maybe15 feet of water. Current is obvious flowing towards the Weirs, with white sand bottom amongst scattered rocks. Heavy boulder field to the right in 3-10 feet of water facing Eagle. Very few traces of human activity.

[Coolbreeze]

Great stuff, the hair on my arms was standing up. Senter cove guy, do you think you are the only one to have found this car? What was that car doing out on the ice anyway? Any thoughts? That must have been a cold ride!

[Senter Cove Guy]

Great stuff, the hair on my arms was standing up. Senter cove guy, do you think you are the only one to have found this car? What was that car doing out on the ice anyway? Any thoughts? That must have been a cold ride!

When I found the car, there was basically no human inflicted damage to it that I could see. The steering column had collapsed and the steering wheel was sitting right at the end of the steering column. It was the first thing I touched. I know of 2 people who dove for the car in the early 1960's and neither of them found it. I'm just about certain that I was the first person (other than the recovery diver in 1937) to see the car in the 67 years since it went down. I have personally taken several other divers to see the car and they, in turn, have told others. There has been significant damage done to the car since I found it. I think that someone has salvaged the front windshield. I know it was there initially because I touched it but the last time I dove the car, which was in late 2007, I could not see it. It looked like someone may have punched a hole in the left side of the car and slid the windshield out. That must have been a tricky salvage job.

I have been asked if it was worth trying to raise it. The answer is no because it is so fragile. It would simply fall apart if moved.

Driving on the ice was and still is commonly done. The 2 people in the car were on their way to visit friends who were ice fishing not too far away. And yes, I'm sure it was cold. Did you notice in one of the pictures that the left rear window was half way down? I'm sure they were dressed for the cold.

[Orion]

Great stuff, the hair on my arms was standing up. Senter cove guy, do you think you are the only one to have found this car? What was that car doing out on the ice anyway? Any thoughts? That must have been a cold ride!

I was fortunate to accompany Senter Cove Guy on one of those dives on the car. It truly is an eerie feeling when your down there looking at this car just sitting upright down there, especially knowing people died when it went down. It did have an impact on me for a few weeks thereafter and I couldn't get it out of my mind.

[Coolbreeze]

It is almost like going back into a timewarp or time capsule. My imagination is running wild with all of the scenarios of theday that led to the fate of those people, the fear that must have been felt and how desolate the area was back then to try and find help not to mention the struggle to survive. Just think of the world events going on at that time, furthermore all the world events that occured from that fateful day to present. That car weathered them all in its watery grave. Great story!

[Grant]

It is almost like going back into a timewarp or time capsule. My imagination is running wild with all of the scenarios of theday that led to the fate of those people, the fear that must have been felt and how desolate the area was back then to try and find help not to mention the struggle to survive. Just think of the world events going on at that time, furthermore all the world events that occured from that fateful day to present. That car weathered them all in its watery grave. Great story!

It really is (or was, when I last saw it about three years ago) in remarkable shape. Senter Cove Guy found this 'wreck' through sheer determination (visibility in that part of the Lake typically STINKS). On more than one occasion I balked at looking for the car, insisting that there would be nothing left. So I felt rather foolish (and very happy for him) when he finally happened upon it.

There are others! In fact, another forum diver sent me some interesting clips about a car that went through Winni ice about 12 years before this car, so I bet there is still something there (they obviously didn't bother removing them, like today). We'll see!!

[Coolbreeze]

Keep me posted on the others!

[Tallyho]

In the late 1950s, the brother of a friend of mine went through the ice in his pickup and drowned, somewhere in the Gilford/Laconia area. I expect it must have been mentioned in the Laconia Evening Citizen, but I don't know how to access their archives online, and I don't live in the area. I'm sure the truck wasn't retrieved, so it must be somewhere in that area. Not much information, but it might be worth researching if you are a diver.

[BroadHopper]

has microfilms of the Citizen dating back to the 60's. I did research for college and remember going to the library. I would give them a call.

[corollaman]

I heard there a bunch of old cars in Winnisquam. They used to put them out onto the ice to dispose of them then come spring, they'd fall in when the ice melted. They'd drain all the fluids and take the tires off, then leave them.

[SunsetPointWentworth]

Center cove guy, have you made a video of a dive to the car? Love to see it if you have.

[Senter Cove Guy]

Center cove guy, have you made a video of a dive to the car? Love to see it if you have.

I know I need to do this. I wish I had done it back in 2004 before all the damage was done. It's still worth doing a video however.

[Senter Cove Guy]

Here's a video of the car that was shot by CAPT PAT with his GoPro in August 2013. I wish we had shot this 9 years ago. There's been so much damage to the car since I found it in 2004.

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gqTZeNjUGC0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://youtu.be/gqTZeNjUGC0

[Grant]

Wow -- hardly recognizable from years past. Sad -- I think that was the first "wreck" that you and I dove together back in the day.

[SunsetPointWentworth]

Was that a tire tread at 2:29? Thanks for the video. It must be disheartening to see something that you worked so hard to find, literally be picked apart by scavengers.

[Senter Cove Guy]

Was that a tire tread at 2:29? Thanks for the video. It must be disheartening to see something that you worked so hard to find, literally be picked apart by scavengers.

The "item" in the upper left of the frame at 2:29 is the spare tire. The item to the right is the left rear tire.

[Aqua-andy]

I'm sorry to hear the condition of the car and may of the other wrecks have degraded so much over time. I think it's important for people to practice neutral buoyancy skills and not touch the wrecks as all it takes is one fin kick to destroy a part of our history that otherwise could have lasted another 15 to 20 years. If you are diving and at the end of the dive the viz is worse than when you started you are destroying the wrecks, you should be able to dive these wrecks and not stir up any silt. Please practice fin techniques and or take a peak performance buoyancy or cavern course to improve your position in the water, you will be amazed at how more enjoyable diving will become. My middle son can't wait to become certified and I would love to show him some of these wrecks while there is still something to see. And please take only pictures and leave only bubbles.

[LongshotLombard]

Just SOOOO COOL!!

[whalebackpoint'r]

Great story! Thanks for sharing it. Best of luck in finding more relics on the bottom of the lake.

[Donzi18]

1994 ? it was 20' depth and right out from the public boat ramp at Sunapee Harbor.I doubt that it's still standing on it's wheels,it crumbled when i touched the wood.Maybe it went through the ice? hauling ice ? or something else.I wonder it the horse and driver drowned?