My grandfather, grandmother and great aunt were aboard the Eastland that morning. All survived. Many did not. After much coaxing, my grandmother finally told me about her experiences on the Eastland in 1977. A rescuer pulled her out of the water by her long, flowing hair. My grandfather was rescued because he was fortuitously dressed as Uncle Sam for the parade that would never come. 'Grab Uncle Sam!' the rescuers shouted. If you visited the Titanic Exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry last year, you may have seen his costume on display. Since childhood, the Eastland Disaster has fascinated, haunted, and driven me to thoroughly research every aspect of this ship and the disaster.

In September 1998, our first Eastland web site was placed online. By late 1999, the Eastland Memorial Society joined in partnership with the Chicago Maritime Society to create extended exposure and a solid local presence in the Chicago Metropolitan area. Through the Chicago Maritime Society I met David Nelson, an avid and expert Eastland historian and former curator of the world's largest collection of Eastland memorabilia, currently housed at the Center for History, A Facility of the Wheaton Historic Preservation Council in Wheaton, IL.

Our Society's foundation from its inception was the creation of a permanent, appropriate memorial along the Chicago River. It was with the greatest chagrin to learn of the disappearance of the original memorial plaque last April. It is our intention to help fund, design, architect, and construct a memorial worthy of acclaim for its artistic and historical contribution to the great city of Chicago, my hometown. Our envisioned memorial will include the names of all victims, survivors and rescuers... to finally honor them with reverence, reflection and respect.

We hope you enjoy the latest revision to our web site. By early 2000, it became apparent that the size of our web site would exceed our original expectations. Without redesigning the existing web site, it would have been difficult to dynamically update information and still maintain one of our primary web site goals, ease of user navigation. Our new web site contains over 200 pages of content, with many more in progress. We would love to hear your comments and suggestions, and sincerely hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor.