Superior Shipwrecks Exhibit Opens at Beaumier Center

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will open a new exhibition titled "Gales of November: Shipwrecks on Lake Superior" at noon on Friday, Sept. 19, in its gallery in Gries Hall.

From the earliest days of sailing vessels on Lake Superior, November has taken its toll on the maritime trade. This exhibit will look at some of the more famous and fascinating shipwrecks that led to either the disappearance of a vessel or its eventual destruction.

In November, large arctic air masses in Alaska and Canada begin to make their way southeast across the lakes, while low-pressure systems from the Gulf of Mexico travel northward toward the lakes. When these systems collide over the Great Lakes, it creates a very unstable weather pattern that can essentially turn into an inland hurricane. One nickname for these storms is the "Witch of November," characterized by gale-force winds, massive waves and quick-changing weather patterns.

November will mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the "Edmund Fitzgerald" and the story of that tragedy will be chronicled in the exhibit. Other shipwrecks that will be featured include the "Algoma" (1885), "Bannockburn" (1902), "Lucerne" (1886), "Myron" (1919) and many others. Each section will feature images of these ships, copies of weather maps from the day they sank, and newspaper headlines of some of the storms that wrecked their havoc on Lake Superior shipping. There will also be several artifacts on display from various Lake Superior shipwrecks on loan from Isle Royale National Park.

Visitors can also view a selection of drawings on display by the noted maritime artist Ed Pusick that feature his dramatic interpretations of various shipwrecks, including the "Edmund Fitzgerald." These drawings are on loan from the Fred Stonehouse collection at the Marquette Maritime Museum. Pusick (1927-2006) was a Navy veteran and architectural illustrator, best known as the "Master of Disaster" for his detailed illustrations of Great Lakes shipwrecks. After a military accident disabled him, he pursued his passion for drawing, creating influential shipwreck art that was featured on the History Channel, in museums and in books by historians such as Fred Stonehouse.

The exhibition will be on display in the Beaumier Center's gallery through Dec. 20 and is free and open to the public. The Beaumier Center is open from noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.