Miller Minutes with Butler Eagle reporter, Molly Miller

Last weekend marked 49 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior, during which 29 men lost their lives to a November gale during a routine voyage.

I bring this up because Gordon Lightfoot’s song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” has been pinging around in my head since Sunday.

In my younger and more vulnerable years, I would ask myself why someone would think to write a song about a shipwreck. Are we so short on creative inspiration nowadays?

Giving the song another listen made me realize how expertly it depicts the sinking while also capturing the emotions of the tragedy and its aftermath. It also reminded me that good can come from bad, and that Lightfoot is a skilled songwriter.

Because of songwriting, painting, sculpture, movies and other forms of media, important stories are told long after they are the most current events. Their artistic purpose lives on, morphing from a comment on recent history to being used as a tool to present history to the younger generations. I’m a perfect example, since I never knew about the wreck until one of my esteemed colleagues brought this song to my attention.

In fact, it is because of this song that people of my generation know what happened that windy Nov. 10, 1975.

What I’m trying to say is that art of all kinds can remind us of life’s truths, hardships and everything in between. Sometimes it can even educate us on historical events and put some emotions behind the facts.

If you haven’t heard the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” give it a listen. And you’re welcome.

Once you’re finished with that, you should check out the number of amazing events going on in and around Butler County this weekend.

Explore the woods and the galaxies on the Full Moon Hike at Succop Nature Park, 185 Airport Road in Penn Township, on Friday, Nov. 15. The hike begins at 6 p.m. and will be canceled in case of inclement weather or complete cloud cover. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle, and keep in mind hot cider is provided! The hike costs $6 for Audubon Society members and $10 for nonmembers. Register at aswp.org/events.

You can purchase original, local art for your loved ones this Christmas if you attend the Cranberry Artists Network’s holiday art show throughout this month and into December. The opening reception starts at 6 p.m. Friday at the Bottlebrush Gallery, 539 Main St., Harmony. For more information, visit cranberryartistsnetwork.com.

See “Oliver! Jr.” at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, Beaver County, starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Shows continue throughout this weekend and next. For tickets and more information, visit lincolnparkarts.org/events.

See the true story of the Radium Girls told on stage during Butler Little Theatre’s performance of “These Shining Lives,” which opens at 8 p.m. Friday at 1 Howard St. The show continues Saturday, Sunday and through next week. For tickets and more information, visit butlerlittletheatre.com.

Butler Tractor Supply, 148 Alameda Plaza, Butler Township, is hosting a Photos with Santa event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The event is free and open to the public to bring their children or pets for photos. The first 25 customers will receive a free magnetic picture frame. For more information, contact the Butler Tractor Supply at 724-287-0050.

Learn the basis of wilderness survival at an event being held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Succop Nature Park. The family-friendly session will cover how to make a fire, find shelter, signal for help, as well as other winter wilderness skills. Dress for the weather and bring sturdy footwear. The event costs $6 for Audubon Society members and $10 for nonmembers. Register at aswp.org/events/.

Join the Owl Prowl at Buffalo Creek Nature Park, 154 Monroe Road, Buffalo Township, at 7 p.m. Saturday. As you journey along the Butler-Freeport Community Trail, there will be opportunities for call and response with some of nature’s most elusive creatures. Participants should meet at the park pavilion. The event costs $6 for Audubon Society members and $10 for nonmembers. Register at aswp.org/events/.

If you want to submit an event for Miller Minutes, email the information to news@butlereagle.com.

Molly Miller is an Eagle correspondent.