The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald 50 years ago in Lake Superior remains a significant event in Great Lakes maritime history. The incident inspired Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 ballad, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
Background of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Launched in Detroit in 1958, the Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest vessel on the Great Lakes at the time. It attracted public attention during its passages through waterways such as the Soo Locks, Detroit, and Duluth. The ship was named after the president of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, which financed its construction.
Maritime trade on the Great Lakes expanded significantly from the 1770s, involving the transport of various commodities including lumber, limestone, copper, vehicles, crops, and iron ore from Canada and the U.S. Midwest to the Atlantic via the Saint Lawrence Seaway. On its final voyage, the Edmund Fitzgerald was transporting 26,000 tons of iron ore pellets.
The Great Lakes Environment and the Disaster
The design of Great Lakes ships, which are approximately 75 feet wide to navigate narrow passages like the Soo Locks, makes them susceptible to rough sea conditions. Freshwater waves on the Great Lakes can become substantial and unpredictable due to the absence of salt, which helps regulate and weigh down oceanic waves.
The Edmund Fitzgerald encountered a severe storm on Lake Superior. The storm featured hurricane-force winds, recorded at approximately 100 miles per hour, and waves reaching heights of up to 60 feet. These conditions contributed to the vessel's sinking.
Historically, the Great Lakes have been the site of numerous maritime incidents. Data indicates at least 6,000 commercial shipwrecks occurred between 1875 and 1975, averaging one shipwreck per week and one casualty per day over that century.
Cultural Impact: Gordon Lightfoot's Ballad
Gordon Lightfoot, an experienced Great Lakes sailor, began developing a song about the disaster while recording his album Summertime Dream in 1976. Initially hesitant due to concerns about accuracy and sensitivity, he was encouraged by his bandmates and a studio engineer to complete the composition. The first take performed by the band was the version included on the album.
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a six-and-a-half-minute folk ballad composed of 28 two-line stanzas, achieved commercial success upon its release. In 1976, it reached the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Lightfoot maintained connections with the families of the sailors lost in the tragedy, attending commemorative reunions. He also established a scholarship fund at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which had lost a cadet and an alumnus in the incident.
Legacy and Safety Improvements
John U. Bacon's book, The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald, provides an account of the event. The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is recognized as a factor in the implementation of enhanced maritime safety standards. Since the incident, no major commercial shipwrecks have occurred on the Great Lakes in the subsequent 50 years.