Snapshots of a Legacy: Our Family's Chicago Story

People of the Eastland
Written By natalie zett
Collage of black-and-white and sepia-toned family photographs arranged on a yellow background. At the center, there's a title that reads 'My Family the Pfeiffers' in bold, stylized text with 'Chicago' written above it in a smaller script. The collage

Collage of black-and-white and sepia-toned family photographs arranged on a yellow background. At the center, there's a title that reads 'My Family the Pfeiffers' in bold, stylized text with 'Chicago' written above it in a smaller script. The collage includes images of various family members, including women in vintage clothing, a young child with an older woman, and two girls in dresses with large bows in their hair. The bottom right corner has the text '©2024 Natalie Zett' in purple. The top of the image features a black bar with the text 'Snapshots of a Legacy (video).

Honoring Legacy: A Family Scrapbook from Poland to Johnstown to Chicago

Video: Snapshots of a Legacy: Our Family's Chicago Story by Natalie Zett

As another anniversary of the Eastland Disaster approached, I felt compelled to assemble a family scrapbook honoring my immigrant great-grandparents' journey from Poland to Johnstown to Chicago. I collected family photos, along with other images, footage, and graphics from the turn of the 20th century. My own photos, taken in the late 1990s and early 2000s when I first discovered my family's deep Chicago roots and connection to the Eastland Disaster, were in rough shape and needed an update.

I reached out to Ervin Eliud, a Chicago-based creative, to see if he could capture the essence of my family's history. Ervin, who describes himself as "a passionate historian and photographer specializing in Chicago's architectural and cultural heritage," graciously agreed. He photographed my great-grandparents' house and Bethania Cemetery, the final resting place of many relatives, including my great-aunt Martha, who tragically died on the Eastland.

Ervin's work was nothing short of exquisite. Seeing parts of my family's history through his compassionate and brilliant compositions brought their story to life in a way I had never experienced before

People mentioned in this story

natalie zett

I've been a writer, actor, photographer, and musician and have worked as a freelance journalist for magazines and papers since I was in my late teens.

My favorite writing job was working for an award-winning community newspaper in Saint Paul, the Park Bugle.

I’ve also taught others how to write for community newspapers at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, MN. And, during the last few years, I became a family historian.

https://www.flowerintheriver.com
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