Author to talk 'Fitzgerald' wreck in Two Rivers

MANITOWOC - It is the largest shipwreck to ever go down on the Great Lakes and was the subject of a 1976 hit song by Gordon Lightfoot.

Tuesday, March 7, bestselling author and speaker Rochelle Pennington will share the story of the "Edmund Fitzgerald" during an appearance in Two Rivers.

RELATED: Hundreds attend meeting in support of marine sanctuary

SUBSCRIBE NOW: Follow us today on YouTube

No other Great Lakes shipwreck is more well-known than the “Fitzgerald,” which disappeared into a stormy Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975, when wind gusts peaked at nearly 100 miles per hour and waves reached the height of three-story buildings.

Pennington will delve into the history and mystery of the vessel and will explore the opposing views of dive detectives who are still trying to determine what led to the demise of the 29-man crew.

The massive ore freighter, built and owned by Milwaukee’s Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., was named after its president, Edmund Fitzgerald, who helped establish the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.

Audience members will be led from the ship’s launch to its final radio broadcasts, and from the “Fitz’s” discovery on Superior’s bottom to the location of the vessel’s artifacts in various museums.

The talk is part of the Manitowoc County Historical Society’s Hungry for History series, which features a speaker and meal to follow.

The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Lighthouse Inn, 1515 Memorial Drive, Two Rivers. The meal will follow the program.

Advanced registration is required. Cost is $20 for MCHS members and $25 for non-members.

For more details, call 920-684-4445 or visit www.manitowoccountyhistory.org.