The Real Edmund Fitzgerald

Edmund Fitzgerald, seen with celebrated Italian conductor Carlo Maria Giulini at a charity concert event in Milwaukee, 1960. (For those who care, Giulini conducted the groundbreaking Franco Zeffirelli designed production of La Traviata in 1955. But, I digress.)

Edmund Fitzgerald was a businessman whose tireless civic legacy can still be felt across the city of Milwaukee. In 1958, he was the President and Chairman of the Board of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance company. Without his knowledge members of the board voted to name their new investment, a massive new ore freighter, after him. At 729 feet in length, the Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest freighter ever built for the lakes. Fitzgerald, whose grandfather and five great uncles were Great Lakes shipping Captains, was deeply affected by the loss of life when the big ship went down on November 10, 1975. He died in 1986. He was 90 years old.