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last mo.

Edmund Fitzgerald Marks 50 Years With Bells, Beacons and Livestreams Across the Great Lakes

The anniversary underscores enduring mystery alongside strict protection of the wreck as a gravesite.

When the SS Edmund Fitzgerald left port on November 10, 1975, there was no way for the crew to know what they were sailing into.
The Edmund Fitzgerald measured 729 feet long and weighed 13,632 tons.
Image
A life ring and life vest hang in an exhibit along with a painting of the Edmund Fitzgerald in rough Lake Superior waters in a display at the Lake Superior Maritime Museum Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005, in Duluth, Minn. The Fitzgerald, an ore carrier, sank with its crew of 29 Nov. 10, 1975. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Overview

  • Memorials today include bell tolling at Detroit’s Mariners’ Church, a public remembrance at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point with an evening family ceremony livestream, and Split Rock Lighthouse’s beacon lighting after in‑person tickets sold out.
  • The ship’s original bell, recovered in 1995 at families’ request, is now displayed at Whitefish Point and is rung 30 times each year to honor the 29 crew and all sailors lost on the Great Lakes.
  • The wreck lies about 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in roughly 500 to 535 feet of water and is legally protected under Ontario’s Heritage Act, which bars unauthorized dives and enforces steep penalties.
  • Federal investigations found the most probable mechanism was sudden flooding of the cargo hold through failed or unsecured hatch covers, yet competing theories persist, including grounding near Caribou Island, rogue waves and structural failure, with no new definitive evidence.
  • The sinking spurred safety reforms such as lighter loads, improved navigation tools, survival suits and lifeboat design, while renewed public interest spans museum events, concerts and a fresh wave of online tributes driven by Gordon Lightfoot’s enduring song.