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.
Podcasting since 2023 • 161 episodes
Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told
Latest Episodes
The Return of the Omitted: History Strikes Back!
History sometimes fades not from lack of evidence, but because the path connecting the pieces is broken. The Eastland disaster records are overflowing with accessible online material, yet large parts of this story have drifted out of modern ret...
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Season 4
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Episode 160
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34:29
Still Black and Blue: Eastland Survivors Speak - A Lost Magazine Recovered
A single local magazine from over 100 years ago contains details of the Eastland disaster you can’t unhear—and yet, it is rarely referenced. The July 30, 1915 issue of Forest Leaves (Forest Park, Illinois) is a treasure trove.&n...
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Season 4
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Episode 159
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29:20
The Teen Deckhand and the Pastor: Two Restored Eastland Accounts
Uneven historiography (the history of history) rarely announces itself. It arrives as a confident paragraph with no citation, a quote stripped of its author, or a tidy summary that cannot be traced to the original record. What looks like settle...
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Season 4
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Episode 158
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33:36
Bolts & Bylines: Frankenstein’s Ghost in the Eastland Story
A missing citation can erase a life twice: once from the pages of history, and again from the digital world. Highlights: RootsTech 2026 recap: Actor and keynote presenter, Marlee Matlin, urged us to honor ...
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Season 4
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Episode 157
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31:03
Rescuers in the Shadows: A Milestone, a Mystery Photo, and the Brothers Petroskey
This week, we pull back the curtain on the Eastland disaster’s historiography and bring two overlooked rescuers to the forefront: Great Lakes captains Walter and Emil Petroskey. The Petroskey brothers manned a lifeboat and saved lives when the ...
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Season 4
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Episode 156
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40:31
