Soo Locks Visitor Center ends season with 210,000 visitors
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI — The Soo Locks Visitor Center is closing for the season Friday evening after another busy summer welcoming thousands of visitors.
The center, which officially closes at 7 p.m., drew more than 210,000 visitors this year, according to the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association. Canal Park, located nearby, saw more than 250,000 visitors as of Sept. 30.
Throughout the six-month tourist season, park rangers hosted interpretive tours, ranger talks and school field trips to educate guests about the history and operation of the Soo Locks.
“The Soo Locks are extremely important to tourism and Sault Ste. Marie,” said Ray Bell, president of the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association. “By having the Visitor Center, people get a chance to look at the displays and learn all about the history.”
While the visitor center will remain closed until May 1, Canal Park will continue to be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting Nov. 1.
9-10 News
Gales of November Conference Honors Fitzgerald 50th
DULUTH, MN – Lake Superior Marine Museum Association presents Gales of November2025, a two-day conference Nov 7-8 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. This special event brings together maritime historians, lighthouse preservationists, and Great Lakes experts for a weekend of reflection, education, and storytelling
Attendees can look forward to in-depth presentations on shipwreck research, lighthouse restoration, and the evolution of theories surrounding the Fitzgerald disaster. The conference also includes updates from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, buffet luncheons and a silent auction.
Gales of November offers an opportunity to honor the men lost aboard the Fitzgerald and celebrate those who continue to preserve the legacy of Great Lakes shipping and maritime history.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT: destinationduluth.co/GalesOfNovConf
Great Lakes Maritime Institute Marks Fitzgerald Anniversary
Season wraps up Oct. 31 at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Oct. 31 is the last day to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point before it closes up for the season. It will reopen for the 2026 season on May 1.
Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Bruce Lynn, said it has been a banner year for attendance at the museum.
“Each year we get about, in the range, of about 75,000 visitors (paid tickets) coming through the May 1 and Oct. 31, with most of that being between in June, July and August. This year, we will be right around the 80,000 visitor mark. But that is only part of the story, too, because some have already been through the museum a few times before, so they come up and spend time on the beach or walk the trails or visit Seney National Wildlife Refuge, or they want to see some of the bird life. There are a lot of reasons for people to come up. There are days when we could get 1,000 people coming through the museum, but there also might be 2,000 on site that day, so we can be pretty busy up this way,” Lynn explained.
While the museum is closed Nov. 1 – April 30, the property is open to the public year-round.
Lynn noted that there will be a 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Nov. 10. No tickets are needed to attend; however, there are strict rules that must be followed.
Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating (seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell) will be set up for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5 p.m.
A ceremony will be held only for family members and dignitaries at 7:00 PM, which will be live-streamed for the public.
Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
[Soo Leader]
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Offers 2
Special Edmund Fitzgerald Events
WHITEFISH POINT, MI – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has two special events happening before the Fitzgerald memorial on November 10th. One on November 7th and one on the 9th. All our events this fall are free to the public…please read below.
NOVEMBER 7th
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum will host an Edmund Fitzgerald speaker panel to take place on Friday, November 7, 2025 (6:30pm) at the Whitefish Township Community Center in Paradise, MI. Panelists will range from historians and surviving Fitzgerald family members…to Shipwreck Society staff and a former engineer on the Fitzgerald. This is a free event and seating will be on a first-come, first serve basis. The event will last approximately 1.5 hours. The Whitefish Township Community Center is located at: 7052 M-123, Paradise, MI 49768.
ON NOVEMBER 9th
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will soon release the second edition of its popular Edmund Fitzgerald publication, The Legend Lives On. With an additional 48-pages of content, this richly illustrated book features historic imagery and artwork of “Big Fitz” during its working life and of this ship’s ongoing story across the years since November 10, 1975. The GLSHS official release and book signing of The Legend Lives On will take place at the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store on the Shipwreck Museum campus (Whitefish Point) on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Authors Bruce Lynn and Christopher Winters will be signing copies of the book at this time
Split Rock lighthouse on Lake Superior to shine
beacon for Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony
TWO HARBORS, MN – One of the most famous lighthouses on the Great Lakes will again be hosting an Edmund Fitzgerald memorial service this year, and the gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the freighter’s tragic loss is expected to draw thousands to the clifftop site.
Split Rock Lighthouse will host its annual event on Nov. 10, a half-century after the Fitzgerald sank in a violent storm off Whitefish Point at the southern end of Lake Superior.
At the service, all 29 names will be read aloud to the tolling of a bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon will be lit in tribute to those lost.
The Minnesota Historical Society will be hosting the event. The lighthouse, perched atop a high, rocky cliff, sits more than 130 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States.
“We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” site manager Hayes Scriven told Minnesota Public Radio recently. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
The Split Rock Lighthouse event is one of many taking place across the Great Lakes to honor the memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s crew. In Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will be holding a public remembrance event on Nov. 10, as well as a private ceremony for the relatives of the Fitzgerald’s crew.
The Mariners’ Church of Detroit also has memorial events planned for November. You can see the lineup here: https://marinerschurchofdetroit.org/edmund-fitzgerald/
[M Live]
Fitzgerald Memorial Plans Announced By
Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will hold an outdoor public remembrance service for the 50th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial at Whitefish Point on Monday, November 10th, 2025 at 2 p.m.
PLAN AHEAD – WHAT TO EXPECT:
Outdoor Shelter: NO tent or seating will be setup for the outdoor public ceremony, as November can have volatile weather that would cause more harm than good. Check the weather forecast prior to traveling to Whitefish Point, and know your limits.
*(Seating will be provided for speakers and individuals ringing the bell.)
Parking: LIMITED parking is available at Whitefish Point. No RVs, Campers, or trailers will be allowed to park in the PAVED parking areas. Once paved parking areas are filled, be prepared to park along the shoulder of the road prior to reaching Whitefish Point.
No Shuttle Services: Be prepared to walk the distance from where you parked to get to Whitefish Point. Know your limits!
Museum Closed: The Museum will be closed to the public. Restrooms will be open.
Grounds Cleared: In order to make room (and parking available) for Fitzgerald families driving-in for the evening ceremony, daytime visitors will be asked to leave the grounds by 5PM.
A ceremony for family members only will take place at 7:00 PM, which will be livestreamed for the public. Under no circumstances will the evening ceremony for the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald be open to the public.
The live stream link of the evening ceremony will be made available prior to the ceremony via our website and social media channels.
[Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society]
National Museum of the Great Lakes Remembers the Fitzgerald
Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald tragically met its demise in Lake Superior, the National Museum of the Great Lakes invites you to Toledo for four powerful days of stories, music and reflection remembering the ship’s 29-man crew-many of whom called Toledo home.
[See the two-page flyer in the gallery.]
Mark 50 years since Edmund Fitzgerald sinking with historic cuisine, wreath laying
DETROIT, MI – From dining on authentic cuisine served on the ill-fated freighter to a solemn laying of wreaths on the water, the Detroit Historical Society is hosting a weekend of events to honor the 29 mariners who died in the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald nearly 50 years ago.
The museum is planning several opportunities, paid and free, to honor the Fitzgerald, which went down in a violent storm on Nov. 10, 1975, and is remembered in the Gordon Lightfoot ballad.
Rebecca Salminen-Witt, a spokeswoman for the Detroit Historical Society, said tickets are expected to sell out fast for a special brunch set for Sunday, Nov. 9, and the solemn wreath-laying ceremony on Nov. 10. Free events also are scheduled at the museum throughout the weekend.
“It’s important for people to learn about this history ― there’s a lot of it. And Detroit played a huge role in the maritime history of the state and in the whole country,” Salminen-Witt said.
Friday Nov. 7
The commemorative weekend kicks off at 11 a.m. with a book talk featuring Thomas Nelson, the author of “Wrecked: the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy.”
Salminen-Witt said Nelson’s book takes a unique perspective on the ship’s sinking and how the loss of thousands of pounds of ore affected Michigan’s manufacturing economy, ultimately impacting the nation’s economy.
Register for the book talk here: https://www.detroithistorical.org/events/book-talk-wrecked
Detroit Free Press
Huge crowd expected for 50th anniversary
memorial of sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald
A crowd of about 2,000 people is expected to turn out next month when Split Rock Lighthouse and the Minnesota Historical Society host a memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Nov. 10.
The ship left port in Superior, Wis., in 1975 “With a load of iron ore, 26,000 tons more, than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty,” as immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s famous song about the wreck. The Fitz would have passed just a few miles off shore from Split Rock.
For the past 40 years, the lighthouse has observed the anniversary with a ceremony in which the names of the 29 crew members who perished in Lake Superior are read aloud to the tolling of a ship’s bell. Then Split Rock’s beacon is lit in their honor.
This year’s event will continue that tradition. In addition, former Split Rock Lighthouse Site Manager Lee Radzak will discuss why he started the annual memorial 40 years ago.
“My first one that I attended was actually the first day I was here on site, back in 2019, and the emotional response that I had was just very striking to me,” recalls current site manager Hayes Scriven.
“Listening to the names and the bell being rung, and all of sudden the light comes on, it’s very moving.”
Scriven said they’ve already sold more tickets in advance this year than they ever have for past events. He advises those interested in attending to arrive a few hours before it starts at 4 pm. Free shuttles will also be available from Silver Bay.
He believes there are a few reasons why the tragedy still resonates so deeply with people today. Many know it through the iconic song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” There’s also the enduring mystery of what precisely led to the ship and crew’s demise.
Thousands of tourists flock to Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior to see up close the giant 1,000-foot freighters that carry iron ore and other materials across the Great Lakes. Scriven says many people have a hard time fathoming how one of those enormous ships could disappear.
“We’re just trying to provide a little place for memory and for remembrance and to really put into perspective the power of the lake,” Scriven says. “So that’s why we think it’s very important for us to keep doing this.”
MPR News
Detroit Historical Society hosts several events for 50th anniversary of Edmund Fitzgerald sinking
By: Max White
(WXYZ) — The Detroit Historical Society is hosting a full weekend of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
According to the society, the activities all take place at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle, and will kick off on Friday, Nov. 7, with a talk by author Thomas Nelson, who wrote the book “WRECKED: the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Sinking of the American Economy.”
On Saturday, Nov. 8, curators and docents will host drop-in tours of the Edmund Fitzgerald exhibit on the lower level of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. Also, the Great Lakes Maritime Institute will be there for information and merchandise.
Also on Saturday, the Livonia Amateur Radio Club will be in DeRoy Hall for the Edmund Fitzgerald radio broadcast, and a new pop-up exhibit will debut.
Sunday morning, the museum will host its first-ever Maritime Brunch, which will feature a chef-prepared meal directly from the Edmund Fitzgerald’s on-ship menu, along with a video presentation from Ship-to-Shore Chef Catherine Schmuck.
During the brunch, a new film will premiere about the Edmund Fitzgerald with experts from around the Great Lakes. Tickets for the brunch are available now.
Finally, on Monday, the society will host its 26th annual Lost Mariner’s Remembrance, which is a tribute to the sailors who were lost on the Great Lakes. The event takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and begins with a lantern vigil at the Fitzgerald’s bow setting. Officials say the event sells out every year, and tickets are available now.
Click to see Full story and videos: https://www.wxyz.com/news/detroit-historical-society-hosts-several-events-for-50th-anniversary-of-edmund-fitzgerald-sinking?sfnsn=mo&fbclid=IwY2xjawMsZ1VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHi7V_IMl1KDLaV2aLwAgHT9l68-iG1GT4NPz0DBD_7FrGRv3vNimb9LJi74Q_aem_jJq4jLDiDZj4tCbMK3qspw
ISMA Milwaukee Lodge, Wisconsin Marine Historical Society
Will Host 50th Anniversary Fitzgerald Commemoration
International Ship Masters Association Milwaukee Lodge and the
Wisconsin Marine Historical Society have partnered to commemorate
the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and her Crew on the 50th anniversary of
her sinking.
Join us on Monday, November 10th, from 5-8 PM, at The
Cooperage (822 S. Water St., Milwaukee). The event will feature a
solemn bell ringing ceremony at 6:10 PM in memory of the 29 lost
crew members, followed by speakers sharing their personal
connections to this historic event.
Admission includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Tickets
are $20 presale, or $40 at the door if space allows. Secure your spot
early – the first 200 tickets sold will receive a commemorative
challenge coin and gift bag. Presale ends November 5, 2025.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to reflect on a solemn and
significant event in Great Lakes history. Space is limited, so purchase
your tickets today at:
http://www.shipmaster.org/lodge-6
This event is a commemoration, not a fund raiser.
