The Eastland: An Unparalleled Tragedy

The Eastland Disaster: An Unparalleled Tragedy will be presented by members of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society at 7 p,.m. Monday, April 11, at the McHenry County Historical Museum. Learn about the tragic 1915 capsizing of the Eastland passenger liner – stuffed to the gills with Western Electric employees and their families headed to picnic.

Known as the "Speed Queen of the Great Lakes," the Eastland was part of a fleet of five excursion boats assigned to take Western Electric employees, families, and friends. On July 24, 1915, hey had planned to cross Lake Michigan to Michigan City, Indiana, for a day of fun and fellowship. But the festivities were short-lived and quickly turned tragic. Tragedy struck as the ship, docked at the Clark Street Bridge, rolled into the Chicago River at the wharf's edge. More than 2,500 passengers and crew members were on board that day. A total of 844 passengers and crew were killed in what was to become the largest loss of life from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes.

Tickets are available HERE in advance or at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The final program in the 36th annual Sampler Lecture Series will occur at  3 p.m. Monday, April 25. Vibrant, Resilient, Still Here: Contemporary Native Americans in Illinois will be presented by Pamala Silas, a member of Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin and a descendant of the Oneida Tribe, works for Northwestern University as the associate director for the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research. Silas will touch on history of Native Americans in northern Illinois, as well as their role today. Explore how the public learns about and views Native Americans today, as well as discuss demographic data, topical community issues and values, and engage through recommended readings and resources. Made possible by a grant from Illinois Humanities.