More than half a century after the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the story of the great freighter and her 29 crew members remains deeply woven into Michigan’s maritime history.
On November 10, 1975, the 729-foot freighter sank during a violent storm on Lake Superior while carrying iron ore from Superior, Wisconsin, toward Detroit. All 29 men aboard lost their lives.
This November marks the 51st anniversary of the tragedy, and Detroit will remember the sailors through three special gatherings combining history, faith, music and remembrance.
Saturday, November 7 — Remembering Through Amateur Radio
From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Livonia Amateur Radio Club will operate a special radio station at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle.
Using the call sign W8F, operators will communicate with amateur radio enthusiasts across the country and around the world, sharing the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Visitors can observe the communications and learn how amateur radio continues to connect people across great distances.
The program offers an especially interesting opportunity for young people to discover radio technology while learning about Great Lakes history.
Sunday, November 8 — Memorial Service at Mariners’ Church
At 11 a.m., historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit will hold its annual Great Lakes Memorial Service.
For generations, Mariners’ Church has maintained a special relationship with the men and women who work on the Great Lakes.
The church became internationally famous through Gordon Lightfoot’s song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which recalls the ringing of its bell in memory of the 29 lost sailors.
The memorial service offers an opportunity for prayer, reflection and remembrance—not only for those aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald, but for all who have lost their lives while working on the Great Lakes.
Sunday Afternoon — Lost Mariners Remembrance at Belle Isle
At 3 p.m., the Dossin Great Lakes Museum will host its annual Lost Mariners Remembrance Ceremony.
A memorial wreath will be brought ashore from the Detroit River and placed near the museum’s Edmund Fitzgerald anchor.
Bells will ring in remembrance of lost mariners, and an honor flotilla of American and Canadian vessels is planned.
Following the ceremony, visitors can gather inside the museum for warm drinks and maritime songs performed by Great Lakes balladeer Lee Murdock.
The Sunday afternoon ceremony and museum admission are free.
A Maritime Heritage Worth Remembering
The Great Lakes helped build Detroit and the industrial Midwest. For generations, enormous freighters transported iron ore, coal, grain and other essential materials through waters that could become treacherous with little warning.
Behind every vessel were sailors with families, homes and communities waiting for their return.
The loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald reminds us that the prosperity of the Great Lakes region came with real human sacrifice.
These November gatherings offer families an opportunity to remember those sacrifices, appreciate Michigan’s maritime heritage and pass these important stories to another generation.
Locations and Information
Mariners’ Church of Detroit
170 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit
Sunday, November 8, 11 a.m.
https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org
Dossin Great Lakes Museum
100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle, Detroit
Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 8, 3–4 p.m.
https://www.detroithistorical.org/events
Twenty-nine sailors were lost. Fifty-one years later, their story continues to be remembered.
