The 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 10, 2025 · 19 MIN

The 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

from Lake Effect Spotlight · host WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR

The gales of November are upon us. On this day fifty years ago, the cargo vessel SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior amidst an intense storm. All 29 crew members on board were lost. The sinking of the Fitzgerald remains one of the most mysterious and controversial shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. Decades later, the Gordon Lightfoot ballad continues to garner public interest in the shipwreck not just in the Midwest, but worldwide.  To learn some theories of why the Fitzgerald sank and how some of the crew members are being remembered today, Lake Effect’s Audrey Nowakowski is joined by Kay Dragan - curator and exhibits manager at the Door County Maritime Museum.  

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 10, 2025

Embed this episode

Ready to play

The 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

0:00 19:25

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Lake Effect Spotlight?

This episode is 19 minutes long.

When was this Lake Effect Spotlight episode published?

This episode was published on November 10, 2025.

Can I download this Lake Effect Spotlight episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!