Hey friends, Jer here.
You might have heard that today marks the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The largest ship we've lost in the Great Lakes, 29 people perished when it went down in waves that likely reached 25 feet or more.
And, an estimated 30,000 mariners have lost their lives over the years on what are, for all intents and purposes, inland seas.
If you’re interested in the story of the Fitzgerald, you may know that the ship’s brass bell is at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point.
I’ve not had a chance to make it up there yet — it’s on my list. But you don't need to travel to the Upper Peninsula to connect with this story.
See, a little more than a year before that last voyage, the Fitzgerald lost her bow anchor in the Detroit River a mile west from Belle Isle.
Pulled up from the riverbed in 1992, the anchor now stands as a monument at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum to the 29 sailors lost.
Their names are on plates in the ground, and in recent years they’ve put a bit of beach for you to sit and reflect along the water.
The history (and future) of Detroit is inextricably tied to our rivers and lakes. If you ever get the chance to visit the Dossin, I highly recommend it.
Make sure to see the pilothouse of the William Clay Ford and the reconstructed Gentleman’s Lounge from the City of Detroit III, or “The Gothic Room.” There’s a series of permanent and rotating exhibits.
More Fitzgerald Recommendations
- I’m currently in the middle of “The Gales of November” by John U. Bacon. It’s an excellent telling including both the literal details and the stories of the people involved. I need to reach out to see if he’ll come on the podcast to talk about it.
- “What’s Going on With Shipping?” is a great YouTube channel, and Sam dives into why the Great Lakes matter so much, and why it’s important to reinvest in an aging freighter fleet.
- “Why Did She Split In Half?” is a YouTube video that looks into the theories behind her sinking.
- “The Edmund Fitzgerald Mystery” has a ton of old footage.
🟦 Whatever is happening in Washington, we have hungry neighbors in Metro Detroit. Let’s get to work helping them. Over the weekend we started a virtual fundraiser with Gleaners, and as of this writing our listeners and community have stepped up to provide more than 2,500 meals. Are you in? Help change the holidays for someone here.
Going forward, Daily Detroit isn’t just going to be about what to know and where to go — but also what to do. How to make change. Let’s build up Detroit, together.
🍔 Savvy Sliders is opening at East Jefferson and Grand Boulevard in Detroit, at the MacArthur Bridge. This was a former Tim Horton’s and has sat vacant for a few years. [Savvy Sliders]
🌲 The tallest indoor tree in Downtown Detroit is being lit on Saturday, November 22. You can attend the ceremony at the Hotel David Whitney starting at 5p with the lights flipping on at 6p sharp. There will be cocktails at the Library Bar and free vintage postcards to send to loved ones through the building's historic mailbox.
🤖 ICYMI, the long-awaited giant Robocop statue is going on the patio of Free Age in Eastern Market sometime before the end of the year. Yes, I’ll be keeping tabs on the situation on my drive into our studio. [Detroit Free Press] [WXYZ]
I’ve held pieces of the Robocop statue in my hands before, it’s quite the work of art. It’s wild to think it’s taken a decade and a half to get here. When I first covered this story for another project, I worked in a loft at the same building where Robo is going to sit. Full circle moment.
On the podcast
This is one of Detroit's biggest challenges and, possibly, its greatest opportunity: What to do with our city's vast tracts of vacant land?
Since 1950, Detroit has lost 65% of its population, creating more than 100,000 vacant lots and 18 square miles of unused land. Right now, the city spends more than $1.3 million each year just mowing the grass on these empty parcels, among other costs.
But what if these vacant lots were transformed into something new? Parks, forests, community gardens, and green spaces that could help stabilize neighborhoods, improve health and safety, and help us adapt to a changing climate?
To break this all down, I'm joined by two key voices behind the report. Kimberly Faison, Vice President for Thriving, Resilient Neighborhoods, and Sarah Hayosh, Director of Land Use and Design at Detroit Future City.
We talk about how a dedicated land conservancy could be a game-changer for Detroit, what the research says about green space and community health, and the practical steps ahead to make this vision real.
Listen on: [Daily Detroit] [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]
🎧 PLUS: Devon O’Reilly is back on the show after a short break to wage a successful campaign to get elected to Dearborn City Council. He talks about what he learned during the race — and then we get into our usual discussion about stories around the region. [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]
He’s one of a handful of our podcast listeners who are running for office for the first time around Metro Detroit. We’ll be talking with them on the show in the coming months.
That’s it for today. The music track tonight is obviously “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot.
Talk soon,
-Jer
p.s. - Not Detroit-related, but I really enjoyed this video trying camping gear from 1925, 1975, and 2025. Hint: Cook like it’s 1925.
p.p.s. - Congrats to Jack and Meg of the White Stripes for their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [Consquence of Sound]
p.p.p.s. - We’re locally based and we need your support to keep doing this thing. So join us on Patreon, get sweet stickers, access to our member-only Discord, and good vibes. And email me dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com if you wanna sponsor the note or the podcast.
