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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Photography and tales of shipwrecks and stories of spooky lakes are topics for WMHS’ monthly Book Club
Shipwreck stories extending far beyond their tragic endings is the theme of a book by John Odin Jensen and photography by Wisconsin maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen.
“The dramatic takes of disaster, heroism, and folly become even more compelling when viewed as junction points in history –– connecting to stories about the frontier, the environment, immigration, politics, technology, and industry,” Jensen writes in Stories from the Wreckage.
The book is featured at the October Wisconsin Marine Historical Society Book Club meeting.
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our Planet by TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford is the Club’s pick for November.
This slim, illustrated nonfiction book takes the reader deep into the mysterious, spooky lates around the world. There’s Lake Natron, a Tanzanian lake so briny its waters can mummify any creature that touches its surface. Another is Lake Superior, where the crew of the USS Kamloops, which mysteriously disappeared in 1921, remains somehow almost perfectly preserved. There’s Lake Maracaibo, a Venezuelan tidal bay where a constantly brewing storm sends an average of 28 lightning bolts per second into the water.
The author discusses not only the science of hydrology, but why understanding the natural world is crucial to protecting it from pollution and climate change.
The group meets at 7 p.m. via Zoom each month. If you’re interested in joining the club for interesting books and conversation, email WMHS at wmhs@wmhs.org to register.
It’s free to join.
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
March 17, 2025 - Treasures of the Great Lakes - Milwaukee Public Library - 11:30am - FREE
Treasures of the Great Lakes
Monday, March 17
11:30 am-12:30 pm
Milwaukee Central Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
First Floor Meeting Room
FREE
Join us for an interactive PowerPoint
What Rests on the Bottom off Milwaukee
Presented by guest speaker Jim Heinz
“There are a lot of interesting things at the bottom of Lake Michigan off Milwaukee, including a ghost ship, the Titanic of the Great Lakes, a fire boat on fire, and a plague ship. Come and hear about them at this presentation.”
February 19, 2025 - Book Club - 7 p.m. Zoom
Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World by Eric Jay Dolin
From Amazon: “The true story of five castaways abandoned on the Falkland Islands during the War of 1812―a tale of treachery, shipwreck, isolation, and the desperate struggle for survival.
“In Left for Dead, Eric Jay Dolin―“one of today’s finest writers about ships and the sea” (American Heritage)―tells the true story of a wild and fateful encounter between an American sealing vessel, a shipwrecked British brig, and a British warship in the Falkland archipelago during the War of 1812.
“Fraught with misunderstandings and mistrust, the incident left three British sailors and two Americans, including the captain of the sealer, Charles H. Barnard, abandoned in the barren, windswept, and inhospitable Falklands for a year and a half. With deft narrative skill and unequaled knowledge of the very pith of the seafaring life, Dolin describes in vivid and harrowing detail the increasingly desperate existence of the castaways during their eighteen-month ordeal―an all-too-common fate in the Great Age of Sail.
“A tale of intriguing complexity, with surprising twists and turns throughout―involving greed, lying, bullying, a hostile takeover, stellar leadership, ingenuity, severe privation, endurance, banishment, the great value of a dog, the birth of a baby, a perilous thousand-mile open-ocean journey in a seventeen-foot boat, an improbable rescue mission, and legal battles over a dubious and disgraceful wartime prize―Left for Deadshows individuals in wartime under great duress acting both nobly and atrociously, and offers a unique perspective on a pivotal era in American maritime history.
The Book Club generally meets via Zoom each month.
Email wmhs@wmhs.org to register for the book club.
March 19, 2025 - Book Club - 7 p.m. Zoom
Le Griffon and the Huron Islands – 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery by Steve and Kathie LIbert
From Amazon: “In 1679, the French ship Le Griffon mysteriously vanished. Was it lost in a violent storm or robbed of its valuable cargo of furs and set ablaze? No one knows, but historians are quite certain the ship found its final resting place on the bottom of the Great Lakes.
“Now after centuries of mystery and misinformation, Steve and Kathie Libert reveal that Le Griffon likely met her final fate among the Huron Islands in Lake Michigan, northeast of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their research placed her final moments near these islands, precisely where the Liberts discovered a colonial-age shipwreck. Could this be La Salle’s Le Griffon?
“Le Griffon’s disappearance became an unsolved mystery for French explorer Robert La Salle, who searched for her whereabouts to no avail. Ironically, if the ship-cursed by local Indian tribes-proves to be Le Griffon, she lays under tribal waters, adding to the mystique of her story. Using primary source documents, the Liberts detail their historical journey of exploration and discovery in solving the first Great Lakes maritime mystery. Many history enthusiasts have patiently waited for this mythical creature to magically raise her eagle head and lioness body from the depths to continue on with her voyage. After nearly 340 years of unanswered questions and more than a dozen unsubstantiated claims of her discovery, Le Griffon can begin to ply the waters – at least in our imaginations.”
Email wmhs@wmhs.org to register
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