DOCSLIB.ORG

Only the River Remains: History and Memory of the Eastland Disaster in the Great Lakes Region, 1915 – 2015

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Only the River Remains: History and Memory of the Eastland Disaster in the Great Lakes Region, 1915 – 2015 Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 8-2016 Only the River Remains: History and Memory of the Eastland Disaster in the Great Lakes Region, 1915 – 2015 Caitlyn Perry Dial Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Dial, Caitlyn Perry, "Only the River Remains: History and Memory of the Eastland Disaster in the Great Lakes Region, 1915 – 2015" (2016). Dissertations. 1960. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/1960 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ONLY THE RIVER REMAINS: HISTORY AND MEMORY OF THE EASTLAND DISASTER IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION, 1915 – 2015 Caitlyn Perry Dial, Ph.D. Western Michigan University, 2016 On July 24, 1915, the passenger boat Eastland capsized while docked in the Chicago River, killing 844 of its 2,500 passengers. The Eastland Disaster remains the greatest loss-of-life tragedy on the Great Lakes. Using museum exhibits, government documents, trial transcripts, period newspapers, oral interviews, images, ephemera, and popular culture materials, this study examines the century after the disaster in terms of the place the Eastland has held in regional and national public memory. For much of that period, the public memory of the tragedy had been lost, but private memories survived through storytelling within the families of survivors, rescuers, and victims. During the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, the third and fourth generations of Eastland descendants began sharing these family histories with the world, thereby beginning to re-inscribe the tragedy in public memory, at least in the Chicago and Great Lakes region. My research assesses how people create personal memories and meanings from historic events and how these personal memories influence public memory. This study uses memory studies scholarship—and especially the concepts of “iconic events,” “postmemory,” and “prosthetic memory”—to explore how Eastland descendants’ inherited family memories (postmemories) survived and came to affect others who had no prior connection or knowledge of the disaster, creating prosthetic memories in those individuals. Those prosthetic memories were then used to construct historical narratives through museum collections, written histories, teen fiction, and a musical that in turn expanded the broader public’s remembrance of the Eastland Disaster. Despite that expansion of public memory, the Eastland still has not met the criteria for becoming an iconic event in the broader American culture. This dissertation also explores two secondary themes: relating the Eastland to better remembered incidents like the 1871 Chicago Fire and the 1912 sinking of the Titanic; and considering how the immigrant and working class status of the victims may have affected the tragedy’s place in public memory. ONLY THE RIVER REMAINS: HISTORY AND MEMORY OF THE EASTLAND DISASTER IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION, 1915 - 2015 by Caitlyn Perry Dial A dissertation submitted to the Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy History Western Michigan University August 2016 Doctoral Committee: Mitch Kachun, Ph.D., Chair Edwin Martini, Ph.D. Jay Martin, Ph.D. Copyright by Caitlyn Perry Dial 2016 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My journey through this degree was met with many unexpected challenges. I can honestly say that it took a village to get me to the finish line. It would be improper for me to continue without thanking them all. First, I want to thank the Department of History and the Graduate College at Western Michigan University for their support. Their supportive funding, especially the Dissertation Completion Fellowship, gave me the freedom to work on this project without the added financial worry. When events out of my control changed the direction of my program, Dr. Mitch Kachun stepped in as my advisor and saved the day. He helped reframe my dissertation and turn it into what you read here. I am forever thankful for his guidance and support during this project. Committee members Dr. Jay Martin and Dr. Edwin Martini, also took a chance on me. Dr. Martini’s input has been invaluable, and I am deeply appreciative of his time and expertise in twentieth century United States history. I relied on his knowledge of Great Lakes maritime history and maritime vocabulary for this project a great deal. His role as a mentor in both academic and professional fields will never be forgotten, and I am forever thankful for his advice. My years as the Frederick S. Upton Fellow and later, Curator at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph, Michigan were very special to me. There, I developed my skills as a public historian and grew as a museum professional. A number of the museum’s images and sources are used in this dissertation and I consider myself lucky to have had access to such a rich archive at my disposal. ii Acknowledgments–Continued Heartfelt thanks go to Ted and Barb Wachholz, Jay Bonansinga, Dave Nelson, and Andrew White for sharing their personal memories and experiences of the Eastland Disaster. I could not have done this project without their participation, and their helpful advice finding sources and contacts. Dr. Christopher Valvano made the incredible drawings of Eastland and took the liberty of hiding my son’s initials somewhere on the boat. Doing this while finishing his own dissertation was an incredible feat and I am so thankful that he did. His wife, Dimity Palazzola, and our friends Lauren Lippert, Erin Biebuyck, Christie Hoyt, and Jennifer Hart all read parts of this dissertation or attended one of my talks. Their friendship is something I will value for my entire life. My family, friends, and colleagues too many to name have been a never-ending source of support, especially in these last few drafts. When I was ready to be done, they were there to keep me going. I especially want to thank friends Katherine Ellison, John Byczynski, and David Kohrman who all aided this project in some manner. Words of encouragement, editing, or reality checks, you guys were there. Thank you. I am incredibly blessed to have two amazing parents-in-law, Rick and Sandy Dial. They have been on this journey with me for as long as anyone else and it means the world to me to have their encouragement. From entertaining my fireside chats to sharing a book or two about Chicago history, I am glad to have the both of them as another set of parents. I want to thank my parents Cathy and Ricardo Cabrera for their love and support. When I told them I wanted to get a Ph.D. in history, I thought they were going to get iii Acknowledgments–Continued mad at me for changing my major. I was mistaken, and it was their encouragement that convinced me to follow wherever my passion led me. My brother Nicholas Cabrera and sister Rachel Harwell also deserve a bit of thanks. We three are so alike and so different, and I am so thankful to have such kind and intelligent siblings. Your support is everything to me. Elliott was born in the midst of this project in 2014. In a world where there is so much darkness, his unbounded joy and thirst for life is my light. I want to thank my husband, Philip. A fully hands-on dad and supportive partner, he enabled me to go on research trips, speaking engagements, and nights off from mom-duty to write. We are better together. This dissertation is dedicated to you and our sweet boy. Thank you. Finally, this dissertation is also dedicated to the thousands of souls touched by the Eastland Disaster, including the 844 lives lost on July 24, 1915. Caitlyn Perry Dial iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. ii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... vii GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTERS INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 Historiography ............................................................................................................... 6 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 8 Organization ............................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER ONE: The Queen of the Lakes ..................................................................... 13 On Lake Erie ............................................................................................................... 23 In St. Joseph ............................................................................................................... 26 The Western Electric Company and the People of Hawthorne Works ....................... 31 The Disaster ............................................................................................................... 37 Funerals .....................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Walking Dead
    Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. http://estta.uspto.gov ESTTA Tracking number: ESTTA1080950 Filing date: 09/10/2020 IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD Proceeding 91217941 Party Plaintiff Robert Kirkman, LLC Correspondence JAMES D WEINBERGER Address FROSS ZELNICK LEHRMAN & ZISSU PC 151 WEST 42ND STREET, 17TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10036 UNITED STATES Primary Email: [email protected] 212-813-5900 Submission Plaintiff's Notice of Reliance Filer's Name James D. Weinberger Filer's email [email protected] Signature /s/ James D. Weinberger Date 09/10/2020 Attachments F3676523.PDF(42071 bytes ) F3678658.PDF(2906955 bytes ) F3678659.PDF(5795279 bytes ) F3678660.PDF(4906991 bytes ) IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD ROBERT KIRKMAN, LLC, Cons. Opp. and Canc. Nos. 91217941 (parent), 91217992, 91218267, 91222005, Opposer, 91222719, 91227277, 91233571, 91233806, 91240356, 92068261 and 92068613 -against- PHILLIP THEODOROU and ANNA THEODOROU, Applicants. ROBERT KIRKMAN, LLC, Opposer, -against- STEVEN THEODOROU and PHILLIP THEODOROU, Applicants. OPPOSER’S NOTICE OF RELIANCE ON INTERNET DOCUMENTS Opposer Robert Kirkman, LLC (“Opposer”) hereby makes of record and notifies Applicant- Registrant of its reliance on the following internet documents submitted pursuant to Rule 2.122(e) of the Trademark Rules of Practice, 37 C.F.R. § 2.122(e), TBMP § 704.08(b), and Fed. R. Evid. 401, and authenticated pursuant to Fed.
    [Show full text]
  • A. Booth Packing Company
    MARINE SUBJECT FILE GREAT LAKES MARINE COLLECTION Milwaukee Public Library/Wisconsin Marine Historical Society page 1 Current as of January 7, 2019 A. Booth Packing Company -- see Booth Fleets Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 (includes Antiquities Act of 1906) Abitibi Fleet -- see Abitibi Power and Paper Company Abitibi Power and Paper Company Acme Steamship Company Admiralty Law African Americans Aids to Navigation (Buoys) Aircraft, Sunken Alger Underwater Preserve -- see Underwater parks and preserves Algoma Central Railway Marine Algoma Steamship Co. -- see Algoma Central Railway (Marine Division) Algoma Steel Corporation Allan Line (Royal Mail Steamers) Allen & McClelland (shipbuilders) Allen Boat Shop American Barge Line American Merchant Marine Library Assn. American Shipbuilding Co. American Steamship Company American Steel Barge Company American Transport Lines American Transportation Company -- see Great Lakes Steamship Company, 1911-1957 Anchor Line Anchors Andrews & Sons (Shipbuilders) Andrie Inc. Ann Arbor (Railroad & Carferry Co.) Ann Arbor Railway System -- see Michigan Interstate Railway Company Antique Boat Museum Antiquities Act of 1906 see Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 Apostle Islands -- see Islands -- Great Lakes Aquamarine Armada Lines Arnold Transit Company Arrivals & Departures Association for Great Lakes Maritime History Association of Lake Lines (ALL) Babcock & Wilcox Baltic Shipping Co. George Barber (Shipbuilder) Barges Barry Transportation Company Barry Tug Line -- see Barry Transportation Company Bassett Steamship Company MARINE SUBJECT FILE GREAT LAKES MARINE COLLECTION Milwaukee Public Library/Wisconsin Marine Historical Society page 2 Bay City Boats Inc. Bay Line -- see Tree Line Navigation Company Bay Shipbuilding Corp. Bayfield Maritime Museum Beaupre, Dennis & Peter (Shipbuilders) Beaver Island Boat Company Beaver Steamship Company -- see Oakes Fleets Becker Fleet Becker, Frank, Towing Company Bedore’s, Joe, Hotel Ben Line Bessemer Steamship Co.
    [Show full text]
  • Northern Arizona Freight Analysis Phase I, May 2004
    Acknowledgements This report was funded, in part, by the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration. Additional funding was made available through the Arizona Department of Commerce Rural Economic Development Initiative. Contact Information Dave Wessel-Co-Project Manager Transportation Planner Flagstaff MPO City of Flagstaff 211 W Aspen Flagstaff, AZ 86001 928-779-7658 phone 928-556-0940 fax Chris Fetzer-Co-Project Manager Transportation/Environmental Planning Director Northern Arizona Council of Governments 119 E. Aspen Flagstaff, AZ 86001 928-213-5200 phone 928-773-1135 fax [email protected] Don Breazeale, Consultant Don Breazeale and Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 7121 2 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 858-759-8321 phone 760-942-9217 fax [email protected] 3 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................. 1 CONTACT INFORMATION................................................................ 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................... 5 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS ........................................... 30 TRENDS ANALYSIS........................................................................ 33 SITE ANALYSIS .............................................................................. 80 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACT ANALYSIS ....................... 98 ARIZONA JOB GROWTH ............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Mobile Collateral Versus Immobile Collateral by Gary Gorton and Tyler Muir
    BIS Working Papers No 561 Mobile collateral versus immobile collateral by Gary Gorton and Tyler Muir Monetary and Economic Department May 2016 JEL classification: E5, G2 Keywords: Liquidity Regulation, Collateral, Policy Evaluation with Economic History BIS Working Papers are written by members of the Monetary and Economic Department of the Bank for International Settlements, and from time to time by other economists, and are published by the Bank. The papers are on subjects of topical interest and are technical in character. The views expressed in them are those of their authors and not necessarily the views of the BIS. This publication is available on the BIS website (www.bis.org). © Bank for International Settlements 2016. All rights reserved. Brief excerpts may be reproduced or translated provided the source is stated. ISSN 1020-0959 (print) ISSN 1682-7678 (online) Foreword The 14th BIS Annual Conference took place in Lucerne, Switzerland, on 26 June 2015. The event brought together a distinguished group of central bank Governors, leading academics and former public officials to exchange views on the topic “Towards ‘a new normal’ in financial markets?”. The papers presented at the conference and the discussants’ comments are released as BIS Working Papers nos 561 to 564. BIS Papers no 84 contains the opening address by Jaime Caruana (General Manager, BIS), the keynote address by John Kay (London School of Economics) and remarks by Paul Tucker (Harvard Kennedy School). WP 561 Mobile collateral versus immobile collateral iii Mobile collateral versus immobile collateral Gary Gorton1 and Tyler Muir2 Abstract The pre-crisis financial architecture was a system of mobile collateral.
    [Show full text]
  • Planet Asian America
    Georgetown University Law Center Scholarship @ GEORGETOWN LAW 2001 Planet Asian America Mari J. Matsuda Georgetown University Law Center, [email protected] Copyright 2001, Mari J. Matsuda. Reprinted from Asian-American Law Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, by permission of the Regents of the University of California. This paper can be downloaded free of charge from: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/318 8 Asian L.J. 169-186 (2001) This open-access article is brought to you by the Georgetown Law Library. Posted with permission of the author. Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons GEORGETOWN LAW Faculty Publications March 2010 Planet Asian America* 8 Asian L.J. 169-186 (2001) Mari J. Matsuda Professor of Law Georgetown University Law Center [email protected] This paper can be downloaded without charge from: Scholarly Commons: http://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/318/ Posted with permission of the author *Copyright 2001, Mari J. Matsuda. Reprinted from Asian-American Law Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, by permission of the Regents of the University of California. Planet Asian America* Marl Matsudat When we were kids, we played on Kochi-san's truck: an old blue pick-up that carried a permanent smell of cut grass, gasoline, and bug killer. I did not understand until many years later how special those Okinawan Issei gardeners were, working all day on other people's lawns, coming home at night to read Marx and Lenin.1 We learned from them not the theory, but the practice: the dignity in manual labor, the intelligence of workers, the reflexive generosity toward others, the doing of everything - from odori, 2 to building a club house, to Marxist study - in a group.
    [Show full text]
  • General Terms and Conditions (GTC)
    General Terms and Conditions (GTC) Applicability These General terms and Conditions (GTC) are applicable for all logistic-, forwarding- and transport services provided by cargo-partner („CP“). Please, be advised that in our operation and agreements we adhere to the stipulations of the General Hungarian Forwarding Rules (MÁSzF). By accepting our offer you expressly acknowledge and confirm that cargo-partner has specifically drawn your attention to regulation of MÁSzF and you accept the conditions therein. Please, note that the MÁSzF regulation differ from those of the Hungarian Civil Code concerning forwarder's legal liability and right of lien, the statute of limitations and the applicable law and jurisdiction. General Conditions of the contract partner are only applicable if and to the extent they have been expressly confirmed in writing. Offers, Information Offers are based on the current rates, tariffs and exchange/cross rates of the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) effective until the deadline of the offer and is valid only on prompt acceptance and under unchanging shipping conditions, furthermore non-binding until each respective single transport order has been confirmed by CP with the identification number of the freight company. The offer may be affected if the freight company changes the booking of cargo-partner, so the delivery time and price may change until the following dates: the shipped on board date in case of sea freight, the shipped on board date in case of air import, the airline booking confirmation date in case of air export, the date of departure of the train in case of rail transport and the date of the order confirmed with registration number in case of road transport.
    [Show full text]
  • Etir Code Lists
    eTIR Code Lists Code lists CL01 Equipment size and type description code (UN/EDIFACT 8155) Code specifying the size and type of equipment. 1 Dime coated tank A tank coated with dime. 2 Epoxy coated tank A tank coated with epoxy. 6 Pressurized tank A tank capable of holding pressurized goods. 7 Refrigerated tank A tank capable of keeping goods refrigerated. 9 Stainless steel tank A tank made of stainless steel. 10 Nonworking reefer container 40 ft A 40 foot refrigerated container that is not actively controlling temperature of the product. 12 Europallet 80 x 120 cm. 13 Scandinavian pallet 100 x 120 cm. 14 Trailer Non self-propelled vehicle designed for the carriage of cargo so that it can be towed by a motor vehicle. 15 Nonworking reefer container 20 ft A 20 foot refrigerated container that is not actively controlling temperature of the product. 16 Exchangeable pallet Standard pallet exchangeable following international convention. 17 Semi-trailer Non self propelled vehicle without front wheels designed for the carriage of cargo and provided with a kingpin. 18 Tank container 20 feet A tank container with a length of 20 feet. 19 Tank container 30 feet A tank container with a length of 30 feet. 20 Tank container 40 feet A tank container with a length of 40 feet. 21 Container IC 20 feet A container owned by InterContainer, a European railway subsidiary, with a length of 20 feet. 22 Container IC 30 feet A container owned by InterContainer, a European railway subsidiary, with a length of 30 feet. 23 Container IC 40 feet A container owned by InterContainer, a European railway subsidiary, with a length of 40 feet.
    [Show full text]
  • IIT Magazinesummer 2017
    SUMMER 2017 IIT Magazine Letter from the President On May 13, 2,799 students became members of the Illinois Tech Class of 2017. At the Commencement ceremony held at Ed Glancy Field on Mies Campus, I looked at the many faces representing a multitude of cultures within our academic community. They reminded me of our university's continuum of success as our students transform into alumni leaders across the globe. Some of our recent graduates are introduced in this issue of IIT Magazine on pages 4–5 [read their bio sketches at magazine.iit.edu]. All are ambitious and have discovered ways to further develop their passions in business, engineering, law, psychology, and writing. National Academy of Engineering inductee Sam Pitroda (M.S. EE ’66), who helped to lead the telecommunications revolution in India, is profiled [pages 12–13] as is Robin Chaurasiya (PPPS, PSYC ’06), recipient of Illinois Tech’s 2017 International Award of Merit [pages 10–11]. Robin heads the Mumbai (India)-based nonprofit Kranti, a home for young women from red-light areas. Four Kranti students are now enrolled in various universities thanks to an educational program that Robin, a finalist for the 2016 Global Teacher Prize, has created. You can meet new Institute of Design Dean Denis Weil (M.Des. ’01), who discusses design’s role in society today [page 21]. Weil has led design efforts within the corporate sector as well as the nonprofit sector, bringing extensive and varied work experiences that will further advance ID’s international impact. As the university makes strides across the globe through our alumni and faculty, Illinois Tech also continues to merit recognition closer to home.
    [Show full text]
  • The Newberry Annual Report 2019–20
    The Newberry A nnua l Repor t 2019–20 30 Fall/Winter 2020 Letter from the Chair and the President Dear Friends and Supporters of the Newberry, The Newberry’s 133rd year began with sweeping changes in library leadership when Daniel Greene was appointed President and Librarian in August 2019. The year concluded in the midst of a global pandemic which mandated the closure of our building. As the Newberry staff adjusted to the abrupt change of working from home in mid-March, we quickly found innovative ways to continue engaging with our many audiences while making Chair of the Board of Trustees President and Librarian plans to safely reopen the building. The Newberry David C. Hilliard Daniel Greene responded both to the pandemic and to the civil unrest in Chicago and nationwide with creativity, energy, and dedication to advancing the library’s mission in a changed world. Our work at the Newberry relies on gathering people together to think deeply about the humanities. Our community—including readers, scholars, students, exhibition visitors, program attendees, volunteers, and donors—brings the library’s collection to life through research and collaboration. After in-person gatherings became impossible, we joined together in new ways, connecting with our community online. Our popular Adult Education Seminars, for example, offered a full array of classes over Zoom this summer, and our public programs also went online. In both cases, attendance skyrocketed, and we were able to significantly expand our geographic reach. With the Reading Rooms closed, library staff responded to more than 450 research questions over email while working from home.
    [Show full text]
  • San Josã© Studies, November 1976
    San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks San José Studies, 1970s San José Studies 11-1-1976 San José Studies, November 1976 San José State University Foundation Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sanjosestudies_70s Part of the American Studies Commons Recommended Citation San José State University Foundation, "San José Studies, November 1976" (1976). San José Studies, 1970s. 6. https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sanjosestudies_70s/6 This Journal is brought to you for free and open access by the San José Studies at SJSU ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in San José Studies, 1970s by an authorized administrator of SJSU ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SAN .JOSE Volume II, Number 3 ARTICLES Poetry, Revolution, and the Age of Paine . 6 Roy Harvey Pearce The "tendentiousness" of ideology precludes successful poetry The Ethnic Voice in American Poetry ........................ 26 Arnold Rampersad Poetry - the best language of truth for America's minorities From Colonial to Revolutionary: The Modern American Woman Poet . 37 Barbara Charlesworth Gelpi Poetry as insight into socio-psychic experience The Regional Incentive: Reflections on the Power of Place in Contemporary Literature . 51 William Everson Locality as an adjunct of human personality Andrew P. Hill and the Big Basin, California's First State Park . 70 Carolyn De Vries The birth of the "Save the Redwoods" Movement A Frontier Agrarian Settlement: San Jose de Guadalupe, 1777-1850 . 93 Daniel J. Garr California's first civilian settlement California State Normal School: The First Years in San Jose ......... 106 Benjamin F. Gilbert The beginning of public higher education in California STUDIES November 197 6 The United States Army's First Flirtation with the Bicycle .........
    [Show full text]
  • Chicago Tragedy
    LH&RB Newsletter of the Legal History & Rare Books SIS of the American Association of Law Libraries Volume 22 Number 2 Summer 2016 Hog Butcher for the World, Chicago Tragedy: A Guide Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, to Some of the Famous Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler; and Infamous Law-Related Stormy, husky, brawling, Sites of Chicago City of the Big Shoulders… Mark W. Podvia —Carl Sandburg, Chicago The City of Chicago has had its more than its share of murder, mayhem and disaster. All of these happenings attracted national attention; a few resulted in regulations that have improved health and safety. This is a listing of some of the most well-known Chicago tragedies. You might want to visit some or all of these places during your time in Chicago. Several of these are located within walking distance of the AALL Annual Meeting. Some others can be reached via public transportation. Be aware that not all of these locations are open to the public. Federal Regulations Gone Awry: The Sinking of the SS Eastland Chicago Riverwalk between LaSalle and Clark Streets The SS Eastland, a popular Chicago-based excursion boat, was launched in 1902. Known for its speed, the vessel had a design flaw that made it top-heavy. The problem was worsened following the passage of the Federal Seamen's Act in 1915. The act, adopted is response to the RMS Titanic disaster, required the retrofitting of a complete set of lifeboats on the Eastland. The additional weight made the unstable ship even more dangerous.
    [Show full text]
  • West Michigan Pike Route but Is Most Visible Between Whitehall and Shelby
    Oceana County Historic Resource Survey 198 Oceana Drive, Rothbury New England Barn & Queen Anne Residence Hart-Montague Trail, Rothbury The trail is twenty-two miles of the former rail bed of the Pere Marquette Railroad. It was made a state park in 1988. The railroad parallels much of the West Michigan Pike route but is most visible between Whitehall and Shelby. New Era New Era was found in 1878 by a group of Dutch that had been living in Montague serving as mill hands. They wanted to return to an agrarian lifestyle and purchased farms and planted peach orchards. In 1947, there were eighty-five Dutch families in New Era. 4856 Oceana, New Era New Era Canning Company The New Era Canning Company was established in 1910 by Edward P. Ray, a Norwegian immigrant who purchased a fruit farm in New Era. Ray grew raspberries, a delicate fruit that is difficult to transport in hot weather. Today, the plant is still owned by the Ray family and processes green beans, apples, and asparagus. Oceana County Historic Resource Survey 199 4775 First Street, New Era New Era Reformed Church 4736 First Street, New Era Veltman Hardware Store Concrete Block Buildings. New Era is characterized by a number of vernacular concrete block buildings. Prior to 1900, concrete was not a common building material for residential or commercial structures. Experimentation, testing and the development of standards for cement and additives in the late 19th century, led to the use of concrete a strong reliable building material after the turn of the century. Concrete was also considered to be fireproof, an important consideration as many communities suffered devastating fires that burned blocks of their wooden buildings Oceana County Historic Resource Survey 200 in the late nineteenth century.
    [Show full text]