50 Years Later: Events and Memorials Mark the Anniversary of the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
On November 10, 1975, the Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior during a fierce storm, claiming the lives of all 29 men aboard. It has become the most famous shipwreck on the Great Lakes, and has been the subject of many documentaries, books, and even a famed song by Gordon Lightfoot. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald tragedy, and there are many memorials and events planned in the coming months. Here’s a look at some of them:
The Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim took place earlier this summer, with more than 60 swimmers completing relay legs of the 411-mile journey that finished the intended route of the Fitzgerald. Organized by legendary endurance swimmer Jim Dreyer, this event raised money for the Whitefish Point Light Station. A documentary film will be released in the future with footage filmed during the event.
We are incredibly excited about the release of John U. Bacon’s book The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Releasing on October 7th, it promises to be a definitive account of this maritime disaster. Bacon conducted more than 100 interviews during the writing process, and based on his previous work (The Great Halifax Explosion, Let Them Lead, Endzone) we’re sure this will be a book you can’t put down. You can also catch a book release event at Rackham Auditorium (University of Michigan) on October 7th, and a Q&A and author signing at Traverse City’s City Opera House on November 6th.
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle has author Thomas Nelson speaking on Friday, November 7th and will have docents on hand all weekend to guide visitors through their Edmund Fitzgerald exhibit. On Sunday the 9th they will host a Maritime Brunch with a menu inspired by the on-ship menu of the Fitzgerald, and on Monday the 10th from 6p.m. to 8 p.m. the lantern vigil Lost Mariner’s Remembrance will be held.
The Mariner’s Church in Detroit will host several events, starting with a singing and storytelling event with Mike Fornes on Friday, November 7th. On Sunday, November 9th the church will host the Great Lakes Memorial Service, and on Monday the 10th at 12:10 p.m. the annual ringing of the church bell to honor the lives lost in the shipwreck will take place.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will host a public memorial on Monday, November 10th during the daytime. A private ceremony for families of the crew will take place in the evening and will be live-streamed for anyone else who wishes to watch. The museum has one of the most comprehensive exhibits about the Fitzgerald and is even home to the ship’s 200 pound bronze bell.
The Museum Ship Valley Camp in Sault Ste. Marie also has an Edmund Fitzgerald exhibit that includes two of the ship’s lifeboats. Out of state tributes will take place at the Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota and the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio.