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
A City of Sorrow, a Voice of Fire — Edith Franklin Wyatt & the Eastland
A disaster can strike twice—first when it happens, and again in how it is remembered. Today, we bring back another “lost” voice of the Eastland Disaster history that has been silent for too long. Chicago writer and social critic Edi...
SPECIAL DELIVERY - A Messenger Boy’s Path to the Eastland
This week, we’re continuing the biography of Eastland disaster survivor, Charles Borovansky. He has a lot more to say!When I wrapped up my research on Charles for a previous episode, I felt that his story wasn’t finished. Tracki...
One Survivor. Two Surnames. A 1940 Eastland Time Capsule
One surname search can reshape the entire landscape of history, and this week, it did just that. While tracing the path of Eastland disaster survivor Charles Borvansky (sometimes spelled Borovansky), I uncovered a 1940 Cicero Life newspaper art...
The "Elephant," the Eastland, and the Catholic Columbian Discovery
Just one missing name can change how people understand the Eastland disaster—a reminder that the story’s true impact lies in the details we can recover and connect. And we’ll get to that…After two descendants reached out to me searching ...
Louella Parsons: Ink, Influence, and the Eastland
Celebrity culture was born not in Hollywood, but in the inky columns of newspapers, each inch building a new kind of fame. Society pages gave way to syndicated gossip that could rewrite a person’s fate before noon. I trace the rise of gossip co...
