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Chicago, Illinois: S.S. Eastland Disaster Memorial

100 years after the S.S. Eastland capsized in the Chicago River, killing 844 people, a ship's wheel sinking into a block of granite was erected in the cemetery that has 143 of its victims.

Bohemian National Cemetery

Address:
5255 N. Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL
Directions:
Bohemian National Cemetery. North edge of the city. Entrance is on the northbound side of N. Pulaski Rd, just north of its intersection with W. Foster Ave. Big cemetery, ask at the office for directions. In Section 16.
Hours:
Gates open daily 7:30-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
773-539-8442
Admission:
Free
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Eastland Disaster Memorial.

Eastland Disaster Memorial

A nautically-themed monument in the Bohemian National Cemetery memorializes the tragedy of the S.S. Eastland, a ship that capsized in the Chicago River in downtown Chicago on July 24, 1915. 134 of the 844 victims of the catastrophe are buried in this cemetery. Most of the victims were of Bohemian descent and worked at Western Electric Hawthorne Works in suburban Cicero. They were going on a company-sponsored boat ride and picnic. The monument was dedicated on July 12, 2015.

[Joseph D. Kubal, 07/17/2015]

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