Fifty years ago, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald—a 729-foot lake freighter and the pride of the Great Lakes—vanished beneath the waves of Lake Superior in a fierce November gale. The tragedy, which unfolded on November 10, 1975, just 17 miles off Whitefish Point, Michigan, claimed all 29 crew members and became the most infamous shipwreck in Great Lakes history. Now, half a century later, communities across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and beyond are coming together to honor the memory of the Fitzgerald and those who were lost, with a slate of commemorations that reflect the enduring resonance of the disaster across the region.
The story of the Edmund Fitzgerald is woven tightly into the cultural fabric of the Upper Midwest. As reported by the Star Tribune, the memory of the shocking incident “is ingrained in Minnesota’s cultural DNA—but the story resonates throughout the Lake Superior and Great Lakes region.” The Fitzgerald’s final voyage began on November 9, 1975, when it loaded 26,116 long tons of taconite pellets at the Burlington Northern Railroad Dock No. 1 in Superior, Wisconsin. The next day, it succumbed to a blizzard on Lake Superior, sinking swiftly and without survivors.
To mark the 50th anniversary, commemorative events have been organized throughout the region, drawing thousands of participants and onlookers. According to the Minnesota Historical Society, Split Rock Lighthouse, perched high on Minnesota’s North Shore, will hold its annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Beacon Lighting at 4 p.m. on November 10, 2025. The ceremony includes reading the names of all 29 crew members, accompanied by the tolling of a ship's bell, followed by the lighting of the lighthouse’s historic beacon—an evocative gesture that began in 1985 on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. This year’s observance, as reported by WTIP, has sold out with over 2,000 in-person tickets purchased. For those unable to attend, the event will be livestreamed on Split Rock’s Facebook page and the Minnesota Historical Society’s YouTube channel.
The significance of the beacon lighting at Split Rock Lighthouse cannot be overstated. Built in response to a 1905 storm that claimed 29 vessels, the lighthouse now serves as a symbolic anchor for remembrance. “The annual beacon lighting ceremony began in 1985 on the 10th anniversary of the sinking,” Hayes Scriven, the current site manager, told WTIP. Over the years, attendance has grown from a handful of people to the thousands expected this year, highlighting the enduring pull of the Fitzgerald’s story.
But the commemorations extend far beyond Minnesota’s North Shore. In Michigan, events are planned statewide, notably in Detroit and at Whitefish Point. According to the Detroit Free Press, Mariners Church of Detroit will host a series of tributes, including a performance of Gordon Lightfoot’s iconic ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Mike Fornes on November 7, 2025. The church will ring its bell 29 times during the annual Great Lakes Memorial Service on November 9, and again at the anniversary eucharist service on November 10, both honoring the lost crew.
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle in Detroit will also mark the anniversary with a range of events from November 7 to 10, including book talks, tours, a maritime brunch, and a Lost Mariners Remembrance on November 10, which will be livestreamed on Facebook. Meanwhile, the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review Symposium will explore legal issues surrounding deadly shipwrecks, reflecting on the Fitzgerald’s legacy from a legal and historical perspective.
In Ohio, the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo is offering guided tours, a book signing, a tribute concert by Meredith Moon (daughter of Gordon Lightfoot), and a documentary screening. The museum’s anniversary ceremony on November 10, featuring a panel of experts and those with personal connections to the Fitzgerald, has sold out—a testament to the ongoing fascination with the tragedy.
Wisconsin, too, is deeply involved in the commemorations. The Fitzgerald’s last port of call was in Superior, Wisconsin, where it took on its final cargo. On November 1, a new memorial was dedicated in Washburn, featuring a functional weathervane with the ship’s profile and a base constructed from a repurposed ore dock tower, according to the Star Tribune. In Duluth, the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association’s “Gales of November” program, running from November 6 to 8, includes concerts, luncheons, lectures, and a special presentation by shipwreck historian Ric Mixter at the University of Wisconsin-Superior on November 8. Mixter’s talk will delve into the investigations surrounding the sinking, followed by a musical tribute—blending scholarship and art to keep the story alive.
Across the border in Minnesota, the commemorative spirit continues. The Minnesota Historical Society will host a panel discussion on the tragedy at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul on November 20, providing a forum for reflection and learning. Even as many events have sold out, livestreams and online presentations ensure that the memory of the Fitzgerald remains accessible to all who wish to pay their respects.
At Whitefish Point, the site closest to the wreck, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an outdoor remembrance service at 2 p.m. on November 10, followed by a private evening ceremony for family members of the crew, which will be livestreamed for the public. The museum itself will be closed to visitors that day, underscoring the solemnity of the occasion.
The scale and diversity of these events—ranging from academic panels and legal symposia to concerts, memorial services, and family gatherings—reflect the many ways in which the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald continues to touch lives. The story has inspired not only Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting song, but also countless books, documentaries, and works of art. As author Thomas Nelson will discuss in his presentation at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, the Fitzgerald’s fate is intertwined with the economic and maritime history of the region.
For those who cannot attend in person, many events are available online, from the Split Rock Lighthouse beacon lighting to the livestreamed ceremonies at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum. The commitment to remembrance is as strong as ever, ensuring that the lessons and legacy of the Fitzgerald will not be forgotten.
As the 50th anniversary approaches, the communities of the Great Lakes come together not only to mourn the loss of 29 souls, but to reaffirm the enduring power of memory, storytelling, and shared history. The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald remains as poignant today as it was in 1975—a testament to the unpredictable might of Lake Superior and the resilience of those who live and work along its shores.
