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
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...
“You’ll Spoil the Boat”: Elmer Nelson, the Torch, and the Evidence
What does a bad grade on a high-school term paper have to do with the 1915 Eastland disaster? This week is part history, part confession, and part detective story — and it starts with some genuinely good news.There is a new Eastland docu...
Mr. Eastland and the Night at the Museum
This week, I remember Dave Nelson, who passed away on July 10, 2026, just before the 111th anniversary of the Eastland disaster. And yet his name rarely surfaces in the retellings his own work made possible.Dave was the grand...
