On November 10, 1975, a violent storm roared across Lake Superior with fierce winds, towering waves as high as 30 feet, and blinding snowfall. By nightfall, one of the Great Lakes’ largest and most respected freighters, the Edmund Fitzgerald, had vanished. All 29 crew members were lost. Nearly fifty years later, the story of the Fitzgerald remains one of the Great Lakes’ most haunting mysteries. It serves as an enduring reminder of the deep connection between Wisconsin and the waters that border it.
The Storm
The Edmund Fitzgerald was no ordinary ship. Stretching 729 feet, she was the pride of the Great Lakes fleet. She was known to haul tons of taconite iron ore from Superior, Wisconsin, to ports across the Midwest. But that November voyage was her last.
The Fitzgerald departed Superior on the afternoon of November 9, 1975, bound for Detroit with over 26,000 tons of ore. By the next morning, the storm had intensified. Winds screamed across the lake, snow squalls cut visibility to near zero, and waves rose like walls.
At 7:10 p.m., radar contact with the Fitzgerald was lost. There was no distress call, no signal— just silence. Hours later, the Coast Guard began a desperate search. All that was found was debris and the echo of a tragedy.
A Search That Became A Mystery
The loss of the Fitzgerald stunned the maritime world. How could a modern, well-equipped freighter simply disappear?
In the days and years that followed, investigators studied everything from structural failure to flooding, topside damage, rogue waves, grounding, and faulty hatch covers. None provided a definitive answer. The ship’s remains still remain in 530 feet of water, broken in two on the lakebed.
The unanswered questions turned the Fitzgerald from a maritime disaster into a lasting question —one that continues to fascinate historians, divers, and storytellers alike.
A Legacy That Endures
The story of the Edmund Fitzgerald has transcended generations. It lives on in songs, stories, and memorials held across the Great Lakes. Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” immortalized the tragedy, ensuring that even those far from the lakes would know the tale of the ship that never returned.
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This year, on the 50th anniversary of the sinking, Discover Wisconsin and Discover Mediaworks will present a special tribute: a 30-minute episode and an hour-long documentary exploring the mystery, the lives of the crew, and the ship’s lasting impact. Produced in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the Wisconsin Counties Association, and Enbridge, the program invites everyone to remember, reflect, and connect with this profound chapter of Wisconsin history.
Watch the special-edition documentary below:
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Josie Bartol: Marketer and creator for Discover Mediaworks. Proud Wisconsinite with a love for great ideas, great people, and anything that gets us exploring.
