The Eastland Water Spirits

July 24, 1915. Chicago's deadliest day, far worse than the Great Fire. The SS Eastland - a poorly-designed, overcrowded lake steamer - capsized without warning in the heart of downtown Chicago, killing 844 people preparing for a company picnic. The victims - mostly young immigrants who toiled long hours in Western Electric's Hawthorne Works - and the disaster itself were largely forgotten to the mists of time. But on the 100th anniversary of the tragedy, a quake strikes below Chicago, a purple flash emanates from a "mystery hole" in the Chicago River and an inexplicable hazmat event strikes a Chinatown diner. Thus begins Chicago's shocking reintroduction to the horror of July 24, 1915, and a commemoration of the victims. The Eastland Water Spirits is a parable about memories and stories which refuse to disappear. It explores our ancestors' impact on each of us, like it or not. It celebrates our connectedness over time and space, using water and spirits to tell the tale.