This is Amy Wagenaar from the Historical Society of Michigan with a Michigan History Moment. Michiganders know that the Great Lakes weather turns foul in November, and sailors are more aware of that than anyone. At least 6,000 ships lie on the bottom of the Great Lakes, and about two thirds of those were lost in October, November and December. The freighter Carl D. Bradley ranks among the most tragic of all Great Lakes shipwrecks. The Bradley was built in Ohio in 1927 and at 639ft, she was the longest freighter on the lakes. She would retain the title Queen of the Lakes for the next 22 years. The Bradley hauled limestone from Rogers City, Michigan to Gary, Indiana for use in making cement and steel. Most of her crew, in fact, hailed from Roger City. The recession of 1958 caused a downturn in the steel industry, causing the Bradley to be idled at her dock. She went back on the lakes in November, just before a scheduled overhaul in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. On November 17, 1958, the Carl D. Bradley headed out of Gary for Manitowoc, but received orders to pick up yet another load of stone in Rogers City. Her route took her into the path of a furious Lake Michigan storm with winds forecast at 50-65 mph. Captain Roland Bryan had a reputation as a heavy weather captain who could pilot his vessel through any storm. But even he had concerns about the structural integrity of the 31 year old freighter. The storm proved too much for the Bradley. At 5:35pm on Nov. 18, the the ship's stern sagged as she broke in two. Captain Brian ordered his crew of 35 to abandon ship, but just four made it onto a life raft. Only First Mate Elmer Fleming and deck watchman Frank Mayes survived the bitter cold until rescued. Of the dead, 23 were from Rogers City. The sinking of the Carl d. Bradley widowed 23 women and left 53 children fatherless. The ship's owners denied that the Bradley had broken in two, hoping to avoid liability for the ship's loss. An Underwater survey in 1997, however, found the two sections of the ship lying about 90ft apart. The wreckage of the Carl D. Bradley rests today in 360ft of water west of Beaver island in northern Lake Michigan. This Michigan history moment was brought to you by michiganhistorymagazine.org SA.