State Rep. John Roth this week championed the passage of his measure honoring the 50th Anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which occurred on Nov. 10, 1975. TheThe resolution passed with broad, bipartisan support.

“The Edmund Fitzgerald was more than just a ship; she was ‘the pride of the American side,’ a mighty freighter that braved the vast and unpredictable waters of the Great Lakes,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “Whereas this 50th anniversary stands as not only a remembrance of those who perished, but also a tribute to Michigan’s maritime history, the bravery of Great Lakes sailors past and present, and the communities whose livelihoods depend on shipping in commerce across these inland seas.”

The Edmund Fitzgerald was first launched in River Rouge, Michigan, June 8, 1958.  At the time, the Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest freighter on the Great Lakes at 729 feet long and represented the pinnacle of American shipbuilding and the industrious spirit of Michigan.

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