The Edmund Fitzgerald carried taconite iron ore from Duluth, Minn., to iron works near several Great Lakes ports. She sank during a Lake Superior storm on Nov. 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29. Great Lakes Marine Collection – MPL/WMHS
We Preserve and Share
Great Lakes Marine History
The Wisconsin Marine Historical Society is a passionate and dedicated non-profit organization committed to preserving the rich history of the Great Lakes. With a membership of 150 individuals, we are proud to be affiliated with the esteemed Milwaukee Public Library.
Uncover Hidden Treasures
The Wisconsin Marine Historical Society boasts an extensive and diverse collection that encapsulates the true essence of Great Lakes marine history. From the early settlers and fur traders to the bustling steamships and iconic lighthouses, each artifact tells a unique story waiting to be unlocked. Immerse yourself in the beauty, magnificence, and hardships of our maritime past.
The Angeline making her way under the Wells Street bridge of the Milwaukee River.
Great Lakes Marine Collection – MPL/WMHS
November 10, 1975
November 10, 1975. The day the EDMUND FITZGERALD was lost along with her captain and crew. One of those historic moments where you will always remember what you were doing when you heard the news.
The EDMUND FITZGERALD was built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works at River Rouge, Michigan, and launched on June 7, 1958. The “Big Fitz” was christened by Elizabeth Bacon Fitzgerald, wife of the ships namesake. Over 10,000 people were there for the launching and over 900 workers were involved with the construction which cost $8.4 million. The FITZ was the largest ship ever to be launched sideways.
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Once There Were Many, Now There are None
By James Heinz
There is an old saying in the shipping business: “The ship doesn’t make any money while it is tied to the dock.” The bulk carriers of the Great Lakes could be loaded with iron ore quickly by using the oldest machine mankind has ever used to move things: Gravity.
That left the problem of how to get the ore out of the ship’s hold. Originally ships were unloaded by men who shoveled the ore into wheelbarrows. It took five days to unload 400 tons by hand. Meanwhile the ship wasn’t making any money tied to the dock. A better solution was supplied by engineer George Hulett, who saw how long it took to unload ships in his home city of Ashtabula, Ohio. His solution: The Hulett unloader.
They were huge machines that looked like monsters from a sci-fi movie. To describe exactly how they worked would take half a page. Their size and operation can best be understood by viewing the attached photos and diagram and by viewing videos of them in operation on You Tube.
About 80 Huletts were built between 1898 and 1954. Almost all were used on the Great Lakes except one in New York City that unloaded garbage. Most were built on Lakes Erie and Michigan. They grew in capacity from 10 to 20 tons and could unload as much as 1,000 tons an hour. The Huletts made it feasible and economical for Great Lakes shippers to builder bigger and bigger bulk carriers and for the steel industry to greatly increase production.
They weighed as much as 1,500 tons. At first powered by steam, they eventually used electricity. They drew so much electricity that when they were in use, they caused the lights in town to dim, and each dock required its own electrical power plant.
Starting in the 1980s the Huletts began to be replaced by self-unloading rigs carried on the ships themselves. This reduced the ship’s total cargo capacity. A ship that had previously taken 18-24 hours to unload using a Hulett unloader could be unloaded in six hours. The quicker turnaround time more than made up for the reduced load. No longer did the ship not make money while tied to the dock. It also enabled ships to unload in any port, whether it had Hulett unloaders or not.
The last Hulett unloaded its last cargo on December 15, 1992, at Whiskey Island in Cleveland. Ohio. The last two Hulett’s at Whiskey Island lingered disassembled for several years due to efforts to preserve them as monuments of industrial engineering but in 2024 Port Cleveland decided to sell them for scrap.
Once there were many, now there are none.
Discover the rich marine history of the Great Lakes.
Officers 2025
- President: Todd Gordon
- Vice President: Christopher Winters
- Secretary: Janyce T. Hetzel
- Treasurer: Nancy Carpenter
- Executive Director: Suzette J. Lopez
- Past President: Carl Eisenberg
- Milwaukee Public Library Special Collections Coordinator: Kirsten Thompson
Trustees 2025
- Nancy Carpenter
- Jackie Q. Carter
- Carolyn Colwell
- Carl Eisenberg
- Kathie Uttech Gordon
- Todd Gordon
- Joe Grygny
- Stephen Haynes
- James Heinz
- Janyce T. Hetzel
- Peter Hirthe
- Cal Kothrade
- Ashley Lemke
- John M. Murphy
- Dan Patrinos
- William J. Staat
- Kirsten Thompson
- Christopher Winters
- Nancy Carpenter
- Jackie Q. Carter
- Carolyn Colwell
- Carl Eisenberg
- Kathie Uttech Gordon
- Todd Gordon
- Joe Grygny
- Stephen Haynes
- James Heinz
- Janyce T. Hetzel
- Peter Hirthe
- Cal Kothrade
- Ashley Lemke
- John M. Murphy
- Dan Patrinos
- Kirsten Thompson
- Mary Beth Volmer
- Christopher Winters
Committees
- Acquisition Curator: James Heinz
- Information Services: Dan Patrinos, Chair
- Maritime Ambassador: Peter Hirthe
- Membership: Stephen Haynes
- Program: Nancy Carpenter, Chair
- Promotion and Marketing: Joe Grygny, Chair
- Shipwreck Ambassador: Cal Kothrade
Newsletter
- Soundings Editor: Kathie Uttech Gordon
Events
April 21, 2025 - Treasures of the Great Lakes - Milwaukee Public Library - 11:30am - FREE
Treasures of the Great Lakes
Monday, April 21
11:30 am-12:30 pm
Milwaukee Central Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
First Floor Meeting Room
FREE
Join us for an interactive PowerPoint
April on the Great Lakes
A mix of launches and losses – Spring doesn’t just bring out the flowers, it brings out the shipping season as well.
May 21, 2025 - Book Club - 7 p.m. Zoom
Trouble Island: A Novel
By Sharon Short
A gripping novel inspired by a real place and events from the author’s family, Trouble Island is the standalone suspense debut from historical mystery writer Sharon Short.
Many miles from anywhere in the middle of Lake Erie, Trouble Island serves as a stop-off for gangsters as they run between America and Canada. The remote isle is also the permanent home to two women: Aurelia Escalante, who serves as a maid to Rosita, lady of the mansion and wife to the notorious prohibition gangster, Eddie McGee. In the freezing winter of 1932, the women anticipate the arrival of Eddie and his strange coterie: his right-hand man, a doctor, a cousin, a famous actor, and a rival gangster who Rosita believes murdered their only son.
Aurelia wants nothing more than to escape Trouble Island, but she is hiding a secret of her own. She is in fact not a maid, but a gangster’s wife in hiding, as she runs from the murder she committed five years ago. Her friend Rosita took her in under this guise, but it has become clear that Rosita wants to keep Aurelia right where she is.
Shortly after the group of criminals, celebrities, and scoundrels arrive, Rosita suddenly disappears. Aurelia plans her getaway, going to the shore to retrieve her box of hidden treasures, but instead finds Rosita’s body in the water. Someone has made sure Aurelia was the one to find her. An ice storm makes unexpected landfall, cutting Trouble Island off from both mainlands, and with more than one murderer among them.
Both a gripping locked room mystery, and a transporting, evocative portrait of a woman in crisis, Trouble Island marks the enthralling standalone suspense debut from Sharon Short, promising to be her breakout novel, inspired by a real island in Lake Erie, and true events from her own rich family history.
The Book Club generally meets via Zoom each month.
Email wmhs@wmhs.org to register for the book club.
May 19, 2025 - Treasures of the Great Lakes - Milwaukee Public Library - 11:30am - FREE
Treasures of the Great Lakes
Monday, May 19
11:30 am-12:30 pm
Milwaukee Central Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
First Floor Meeting Room
FREE
Join us for an interactive PowerPoint
Edmund Fitzgerald – the Man, the Ship, the Model, the Maritime Heritage
When Julianna Real Fitzgerald landed in New York in 1836 with her husband and children, little did she know her six sons would become well-known Lake Captains and her great grandson would be a well-respected civic leader with a grand flagship named after him. Enjoy interesting stories and photos of the ship and history the Fitzgerald family has contributed to Great Lakes shipping.
April 16, 2025 - Book Club - 7 p.m. Zoom
Sea Stories: True Adventures of Great Lakes Freighter Captain by Captain Richard Metz
From Amazon: “The Triumphs, Struggles, and Secrets of a Captain’s Life
“Richard Metz was a Great Lakes captain for 20 years. He experienced wild weather, close calls, near misses, and events that can only be described as “unimaginable.” He has incredible sea stories to tell, and now they are yours to enjoy. Take an entertaining look at life aboard a variety of Great Lakes ships. Read 26 compelling tales of a Great Lakes crewmate and captain, including stories about the Gales of November, the night of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking, and more. Plus, you’ll be fascinated by the details and full-color photographs of the ships themselves. If you’re a history buff, a Great Lakes enthusiast, a ship watcher, or a fan of a good yarn, Sea Stories is for you!”
email wmhs@wmhs.org to register