Plaques & Memorials, Sign Projects
💠 The Making of the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim Plaques
In 2025, the world will remember the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the mighty freighter that tragically sank in Lake Superior with her 29 crew members. When we were asked to help honor their legacy by crafting plaques for the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, we knew this was no ordinary project.
🌊 A Tribute 50 Years in the Making
The Memorial Swim is a 411-mile relay from the wreck site to Detroit, symbolically completing the Fitzgerald’s intended journey. Each swimmer in the event receives a handcrafted plaque as a lasting token of their participation and a tribute to the lives lost.
At Maidenwood Signs, it was our honor to bring these plaques to life using traditional woodworking techniques combined with modern CNC tools.
🪵 From Mahogany to Memory
We began with select-grade mahogany boards, chosen for their rich color and timeless beauty. The boards were cut, glued, and planed to create perfectly flat panels.
Each plaque features 29 taconite pellets—one for each crew member—sourced from Dock No. 5 in Superior, Wisconsin, where the Edmund Fitzgerald took on her final load of iron ore before her ill-fated voyage.
🚰 Craftsmanship in Every Detail
Our process included:
- Cutting and edge laminating boards to form flat panels
- Precision CNC machining of the pellet inlay pockets.
- Hand-rubbed oil finishes to enhance the natural beauty of the mahogany.
- Careful placement of the taconite pellets to form the number “50” for the 50th anniversary.
- Making and attaching custom-engraved brass plates bearing each swimmer’s name and stage.
🙏 A Project We’ll Never Forget
We are deeply grateful to Jim Dreyer, Event Director of the Memorial Swim, for trusting us with this meaningful project.
As a family-run shop nestled in Michigan’s Manistee National Forest, we are proud to have played a small role in preserving the memory of the Fitzgerald and her crew.
📣 Learn More
The Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim begins July 26, 2025. You can follow their journey and learn more about this historic event at edmundfitzgeraldswim.org.
Want to work with us on your next meaningful project? Contact us here.
📸 More from the Workshop
