Split Rock Lighthouse to mark 50th anniversary of Edmund Fitzgerald sinking

Split Rock Lighthouse and the Minnesota Historical Society will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald this fall. For 40 years, the lighthouse has hosted the Memorial Beacon Lighting annually to honor the 29 crew members lost aboard the Fitzgerald and all others lost to Lake Superior’s waters.

The Minnesota Historical Society anticipates large crowds and encourages attendees to purchase tickets in advance and arrive early. Off-site parking will be available in Silver Bay, with a shuttle service running to the park. Tickets include all-day admission on the day of the event.

At 4 p.m. on Nov. 10, the lighthouse will temporarily close for a rendition of the naval hymn, followed by reading the 29 crew members’ names to the tolling of a ship’s bell. The beacon will then be lit in their honor, and the lighthouse tower will reopen to visitors until 6 p.m.

The ceremony will also be streamed live on the Split Rock Lighthouse Facebook page and the Minnesota Historical Society YouTube channel.

The Edmund Fitzgerald, an iron ore freighter, sank in 1975 during a severe storm on Lake Superior, killing all 29 crew members. The tragedy has inspired plays, musicals, and a piano concerto, but remains best known through Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

The annual memorial was founded by former Split Rock Lighthouse Site Manager Lee Radzak, who will attend this year’s event.

The Minnesota History Center in St. Paul will host a special panel discussion on Nov. 20 titled “The Enduring Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Panelists will include Radzak; Split Rock Lighthouse Site Manager Hayes Scriven; author John U. Bacon, whose new book “The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was recently released; and Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

Split Rock Lighthouse has been undergoing construction and archaeological surveys throughout the summer. The renovations include improving existing pathways and expanding viewing areas. When complete, visitors will gain new vantage points overlooking the site of the historic hoist and derrick system, as well as a new platform offering extended views of the lighthouse, coastline, and Lake Superior. Archaeologists also uncovered the remains of the historic tramway to the lighthouse during recent surveys.

Josh Hinke October 9, 2025