Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

Located at Whitefish Point in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior is the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

Along with the museum is the Whitefish Point Light Station, a former U.S. Coast Guard Station and fog horn station.

Whitefish Point is located at the extreme southeastern end of Lake Superior and is a critical turning point for all vessel traffic entering and leaving this largest of all the Great Lakes.

"Whitefish Point marks the eastern end of a notorious 80-mile stretch of shoreline from here west to Munising, Michigan, known ominously as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. Of the 550 known major shipwrecks lying on the bottom of the lake, at least 200 of them are in the vicinity of Whitefish Point. The primary causes of shipwreck here are stress of weather and collision; the 1975 loss of the steamer Edmund Fitzgerald with her entire crew of 29 has become a world-wide legend. The wreck of the Fitzgerald lies just 15 miles northwest of Whitefish Point."

Timeline:
1849 - Established by congress the U.S. Lighthouse Service began operation at Whitefish Point.
1861 - Present light tower constructed during Abraham Lincoln’s administration.
1923 - U.S. Coast Guard established a Lifeboat Rescue Station at Whitefish Point.
1939 - U.S. Lighthouse Service merged with U.S. Coast Guard.
1951 - Coast Guard closed the Lifeboat Rescue Station.
1970 - U.S. Coast Guard took all personnel from site at Whitefish Point.
1973 - Site placed on National Register of Historic Places.No money for restoration at the time.
November 10, 1975 - 15 miles north of Whitefish Point the Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in 500 feet of water with all 29 of the crew. This becomes one of the most famous ship disasters on the Great Lakes.
1980 - Realizing the importance of preserving this important property the township of Whitefish approached the fledgling Great Lakes Historical Society for assistance.
1983 - The Society obtained a License from the Coast Guard in 1983 to commence museum operations.
1985 - The first exhibits opened.
1987 - The present museum building opened.
October 1996 - An act of Congress legislatively transfers full ownership to the Shipwreck Society.
2011 - The light tower is the oldest operating one on Lake Superior.

MUSEUM, FOG HORN STATION, LOOK OUT TOWER, MM DRAKE, COAST GUARD STATION AND LIGHT TOWER:

LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE and LENS EXHIBIT:

OVERVIEW AND UNDERWATER SALVAGE:

 

SHIPWRECK EXHIBITS:

EDMUND FITZGERALD:

WEBSITE: Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum- Whitefish Point Light House Station