Home / Disasters and Accidents / The Mighty Fitz: Remembering the Legendary Great Lakes Freighter
The Mighty Fitz: Remembering the Legendary Great Lakes Freighter
6 Nov
Summary
- The Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest freighter on the Great Lakes for 13 of its 17 years
- The ship was known as an engineering marvel, costing $8.4 million to build
- The wreck of the "laker" was a $24 million loss for the maritime industry
As of November 2025, the name "Edmund Fitzgerald" still evokes memories of the iconic Great Lakes freighter that met a tragic end 50 years ago. The ship, which was launched in 1958, was known as an engineering marvel and the largest freighter ever built for the Great Lakes at the time.
The Edmund Fitzgerald, nicknamed the "Queen of the Lakes," was 729 feet long and 75 feet wide, with a price tag of $8.4 million. Her massive size allowed her to carry an impressive 26,000 tons of iron ore, making her a true workhorse on the Great Lakes. In fact, the Fitzgerald was the largest freighter on the Great Lakes for 13 of her 17 years of service, drawing crowds whenever she pulled into port.
Sadly, the Fitzgerald's legacy is forever tied to the fateful night of November 10, 1975, when the ship sank in a Lake Superior storm, taking all 29 crew members with her. The wreck of the "laker" was a $24 million loss for the maritime industry, but the ship's legend has only grown in the decades since. Today, the Edmund Fitzgerald remains a symbol of the Great Lakes' power and the resilience of those who work on the water.
