Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told
"Flower in the River" podcast, inspired by my book of the same name, explores the 1915 Eastland Disaster in Chicago and its enduring impact, particularly on my family's history. We'll explore the intertwining narratives of others impacted by this tragedy as well, and we'll dive into writing and genealogy and uncover the surprising supernatural elements that surface in family history research. Come along with me on this journey of discovery.
Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told
Latest Episodes
Martin saved lives. Edward shattered doors. Opal stepped in.
In this week’s episode: A Chicago police officer leaps into action, rescuing lives amid the chaos of the Eastland disaster.Two undertakers clash in a dramatic battle for possession of a corpse.Amid the turmoil...
Rinse, Lather, Repeat the Evidence: When Lists Overtake the History
When someone survives the 1915 Eastland disaster, gives a firsthand newspaper account just days later, and, years later, both she and her story disappear from later retellings, a big disconnect emerges. And the disconnect may be because the res...
An Eastland Story Comes Full Circle: Martha Willig’s Eastland Survival
Picture it. A survivor, Martha Willig, wrote down what happened on the Eastland the very next day. Then, on July 28, 1915, her gripping account ran on the front page of a New Jersey newspaper. Yet her name, the names of her fellow survivors, an...
A Pitiable Sight: A Postmaster Remembers the Eastland
What happens when a dramatic story is repeated often enough that people stop asking where it came from?We begin with the curious case of Arthur Loeb, the self-proclaimed "King of the Bell Divers," who spent years promoting himself...
Eastland “Hero,” Vaudeville Star, Octopus Wrangler: Meet Arthur Loeb
A diamond-studded Carnegie medal. Dozens of dramatic rescues. A “king of the bell divers” who always seems to be first on the scene. Arthur Loeb’s Eastland Disaster legend is the kind of story that spreads fast online because it’s vivid, emotio...
