Episode 26: The Edmund Fitzgerald
The Titanic of the Great Lakes
Part 1 of Our Mini-Series “Songs About Shipwrecks”
The skies of November have turned gloomy friends, so it is a fitting time to tell the tale of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. Many have heard the song, but the true story is a tragic example of the dangers of Lake Superior even in modern times. In this episode, Josh leads us through the life and final voyage of The Fitz and how Gordon Lightfoot found inspiration for a famous folk rock sea shanty.
Discussion Includes:
The Creation of the Ship
The Omens of it’s Launch
The Cargo
Her 749th & Final Voyage
Theories and Investigations of the Sinking
The Song & The Memorials
©Wolf & Stag Productions LLC, 2025Images:
All Images Are Used For Commentary, Analysis, and Education Purposes under the Fair Use Act
References:
Cutler, Elizabeth Fitzgerald & Hirthe, Walter (1983). Six Fitzgerald Brothers: Lake Captains All.
By Greenmars, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=106988525
By Unknown government employee - United States Coast Guard, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13136724
By NOAA Central Library, Silver Spring, Maryland - NOAA Central Library Data Imaging Project, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44288220
Edmund Fitzgerald. Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. (2025, October 16). https://shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald/
S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald. Detroit Historical Society. (2025, October 10). https://www.detroithistorical.org/learn/online-research/encyclopedia-of-detroit/ss-edmund-fitzgerald
Edmund Fitzgerald (1958). Edmund Fitzgerald (1958) - wi shipwrecks. (n.d.). https://wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/854?region=Index
Sowden, C. (2021, March 17). The EDMUND FITZGERALD – Summer 1958. National Museum of the Great Lakes. https://nmgl.org/the-edmund-fitzgerald-summer-1958/
Jodie. (2023, April 18). The launch of the Edmund Fitzgerald - June 8, 1958. Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. https://shipwreckmuseum.com/the-launch-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald-june-8-1958/
Bacon, J. U. (2025, October 6). “the gales of november” excerpt: Edmund Fitzgerald built for luxury, not safety. Bridge Michigan. https://bridgemi.com/outdoors-life/the-gales-of-november-excerpt-edmund-fitzgerald-built-for-luxury-not-safety/
Tragedy of edmund fitzgerald overshadows legacy of namesake. Lewiston Sun Journal. (2005, November 10). https://www.sunjournal.com/2005/11/10/tragedy-edmund-fitzgerald-overshadows-legacy-namesake/
The fateful journey. Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. (2022, October 14). https://shipwreckmuseum.com/the-fateful-journey/
Gaines, J. R., & Lowell, J. (1975, November 24). The cruelest month. Newsweek.
Unbound Roots. (2024, May 4). Lake superior: A watery graveyard. https://www.unboundroots.com/lake-superior-a-watery-graveyard/
Shipwrecks. Minnesota Historical Society. (n.d.). https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock/learn/shipwrecks
The mysterious tragedy. Great Lakes Museum. (2024, March 12). https://greatlakesmuseum.ca/the-mysterious-tragedy/
Cheeseman, K. (2018, April 2). The Three sisters. Wilderness North. https://wildernessnorth.com/the-three-sisters/
Duluth News Tribune. (2020, November 10). Edmund Fitzgerald sank 45 years ago in Lake Superior. Duluth News Tribune. https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/community/edmund-fitzgerald-sank-45-years-ago-in-lake-superior
Marrin, D. (2024, November 9). Former STN publisher recounts his expedition to the edmund fitzgerald. The Sun Times News. https://thesuntimesnews.com/former-stn-publisher-recounts-his-expedition-to-the-edmund-fitzgerald/
