From Silence to Testimony: Eastland Survivors Speak Out
From Silence to Testimony: Eastland Survivors Speak Out (Ep 72 of Flower in the River Podcast)
Survivor! Eastland Disaster Version
Explore the gripping tales of the survivors from the Eastland disaster! Episode 72 peels back the layers of history to reveal the human side of this tragic event.
Journey with me as I retrace my great-aunt Martha’s final steps, experiencing eerie sensations and unexpected emotions along the way. You won’t believe what happened at the disaster site!
Uncover the long-lost voices of survivors through newspaper articles. Hear the harrowing accounts of Marie Benes, Willard Brown, Stella Rytir, Meta Otto, Borghild Carlson, and others who lived to tell the tale.
Meet Libby Hruby, the pint-sized survivor with a larger-than-life personality. From her initial reluctance to her later crusade for remembrance, Libby’s story will captivate you.
Explore the fascinating historical context of many of these survivors’ backgrounds. Ever wondered why your ancestors might be listed as “Austrian” when they weren’t? Find out in this episode!
Discover the unsung heroes working nonstop to preserve these stories.
Don’t miss this episode that brings the Eastland Disaster to life through the eyes of those who lived it. It’s not just about a ship – it’s about the lives forever changed by that fateful day: July 24, 1915.
Links:
From Silence to Testimony: Eastland Survivors Speak Out (Podcast Link)
From Silence to Testimony: Eastland Survivors Speak Out (YouTube Link)
The Eastland Disaster Documentary (featuring Libby Hruby and others)
Hilton, George W. Eastland: Legacy of the Titanic. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1995.
Libby Kluchina Ruby - Eastland Survivor and Storyteller
Libby Klucina Hruby as featured in The Eastland Disaster Documentary (featuring Libby Hruby and others)
A section of my Libby Kluchina Hruby research notes for this episode.
Libby’s Obituary (AP).
Reprinted in the The Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque) Nov 15, 2004. Source: Google Books
Text from Libby’s obituary
"OTHER OBITUARIES
By The Associated Press
Libby Hruby
CHICAGO - Libby Hruby, the last known survivor of the 1915 capsizing of the excursion steamer Eastland on the Chicago River, has died at the age of 99, according to her family.
The tragedy, in which 844 people were killed, is one of the worst maritime disasters in the nation's history.
Hruby, who died Nov. 6 in MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, was 10 years old when she boarded the Eastland in downtown Chicago to go to the annual company picnic held by Western Electric in Michigan City, Ind. As the boat pulled away from its dock, it rolled over and capsized.”
Reprinted in the The Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque) Nov 15, 2004. Source: Google Books
In this video, we commemorate the 109th anniversary of the Eastland disaster by highlighting the individuals whose stories have been covered in our podcast since November 2023. These untold narratives honor the memory and legacy of those affected by the tragedy. Here is the link to the complete video: https://tinyurl.com/2bps9bvt
