On August 7, 1957, the first keel plate was laid of hull 301 at the Great Lakes Engineering Works of River Rouge, Michigan.  Hull 301 was built for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Milwaukee, and would later be named the EDMUND FITZGERALD.  The next year, Northwestern Mutual would contract her to Oglebay Norton for 25 years.  Oglebay Norton made her the flagship of their Columbia Transportation fleet.

            The keel is basically the backbone of a ship and runs along the center of the bottom of the hull from stem to stern. Laying the keel is the formal start of the ship’s construction and usually is celebrated with a big formal ceremony – so it was for the FITZ.

            Edmund Fitzgerald, her namesake, was not only one of the founders of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society and its first president, he was the president and chairman of the board of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.  Mr. Fitzgerald came from a family of Lake Captains and shipbuilders including his father who owned the Milwaukee Drydock Company.

            The EDMUND FITZGERALD was officially launched on June 7, 1958. She was the first Laker built within a foot of the maximum St. Lawrence Seaway size and valued at $7 million.  The FITZ measured 730 ft. in length, 75 ft. in beam and 25 ft. in draft.   She was the largest ship on the Great Lakes when launched and, sadly, remains the largest ship sunk on the Great Lakes.

            During her 17 year career the FITZ carried taconite iron ore from Silver Bay, Minnesota, Lake Superior to Lake Erie, mainly Toledo and Detroit.   This was about 750 miles and averaged about five days for a round trip. 

The FITZ was always a fan of people on shore.  One of her captains Peter Pulcer would play music over the ship’s intercom when passing through the Detroit and St. Clair rivers no matter whether it was day or night, and would entertain those at the Soo Locks with her history and her latest record breaking cargo.   In other words, she sailed with great pride and wanted to be seen.

            Today’s story is meant to celebrate the beginning of a well-known and well-liked Great Lakes vessel and to share some great photos.  But just in case someone does not know this, the EDMUND FITZGERALD sunk on November 10, 1975, during a horrendous storm on Lake Superior.   She took her crew of 29 including Captain Ernest McSorley with her.

Suzette Lopez

PHOTOS:

Great Lakes Engineering Works, Keel Blocks and Keel Plates for Hull 301, Aug 1957

Hull 301 bow under construction, April 17, 1958

EDMUND FITZGERALD launching June 7, 1958

EDMUND FITZGERALD at Silver Bay, Minnesota, October 29, 1958

PHOTO CREDIT: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.