The Two Edmund Fitzgeralds 


 

Today, November 10, 2005, is the 30th anniversary of the sinking of the ore freighter S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald during a strong storm on Lake Superior. 29 members of the crew died when the Fitzgerald sank.

The event is remembered today largely as a result of Gordon Lightfoot's famous song.

But there was a real Edmund Fitzgerald, too - he was the chairman of the board of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., which had commissioned the building of the ship in 1957.

As it turns out, Edmund Fitzgerald was an important member of the Milwaukee business community, a contributor and initiator of many public improvements. It is a lesser part of the tragedy that the legacy of Edmund Fitzgerald would be overshadowed by the sinking of his namesake.

Fortunately, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel had the sense to run an article about Edmund Fitzgerald today. With the article are a couple of interesting photographs.

It's worth a read.  

Posted: Thu - November 10, 2005 at 04:35 PM        

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