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The Largest Shipwrecks Ever Recorded On The American Great Lake 

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When a body of water claims approximately 30,000 lives, it gains some kind of dark legend status. The Great Lakes are a chain of connected freshwater lakes in North America and have been home to some of the most fatal shipwrecks ever. Here are the largest 5 recorded. 

SS Edmund Fitzgerald

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Sinking in 1975 in Lake Superior during a storm with 50-foot waves and 70 mph winds, the 729-foot SS Edmund Fitzgerald broke apart, killing all 29 crew members. Discovered a year later in 530 feet of water, the exact cause of the disaster remains unknown. 

SS Daniel J. Morrell 

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In 1966, the 603-foot SS Daniel J. Morrell split during a storm in Lake Huron, killing 28 of 29 crew members. Only one survivor, Dennis, was found after 14 hours at sea. The wreck rested in 220 feet of water, with the two sections separated by five miles. 

SS Carl D. Bradley 

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During a fierce storm, the 639-foot SS Carl D. Bradley broke apart in Lake Michigan on November 18, 1958, with 33 of 35 crew members lost. Structural issues and severe weather led to its sinking, making it one of the largest Great Lakes shipwrecks.

SS Cedarville 

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On May 7, 1965, the 600-foot SS Cedarville collided with a Norwegian ship, Topdalsfjord, and sank in the Straits of Mackinac due to severe damage below the waterline. Ten of 35 crew members perished. The wreck, lying in 110 feet of water, remains the fourth-largest shipwreck on the Great Lakes.

SS William C. Moreland 

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Due to poor visibility from forest fires, the 600-foot SS William C. Moreland ran aground on Sawtooth Reef in Lake Superior on October 18, 1910, breaking apart. Salvage efforts recovered the stern and repurposed it into the SS Sir Trevor Dawson.

Written by Peterson Sorenson

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