On Nov. 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald set sail on its final voyage. The ship left the Burlington Northern Railroad Dock in Superior, Wisconsin, with over 25,000 tons of iron ore which was to be shipped to Detroit. Aware of an incoming November storm, Captain Ernest M. McSorley took his ship north of Isle Royale in an attempt to avoid the unfavorable conditions. The Fitzgerald then headed southeast toward Whitefish Point where the crew hoped to find sanctuary before finishing their voyage to Detroit. But they would never make it to Whitefish Point. Conditions continued to deteriorate, with winds of almost 60 knots and waves that were 18-20 feet high. At 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 10, the Edmund Fitzgerald radioed a nearby ship informing them that they had taken on water. At 7:10 p.m. on Nov. 10, 1975, all communication with the ship was lost as well as all 29 crew members.
50 years later, we still remember those who died in this tragic shipwreck. Canadian singer and songwriter Gordon Lightfoot’s famous song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is a Midwest staple that is still played to this day, 49 years later. Events are planned throughout Michigan to commemorate the lives of those who died on the Fitzgerald. The Mariners Church of Detroit will be hosting a tribute service and will be chiming its bells 29 times in memory of the 29 crew members. The National Museum of the Great Lakes will also be hosting events this weekend, including a guided freighter tour and a beer launch at Quenched & Tempered Brewery.
