Celebration of Michigan City's history includes remembering a historic disaster

The Michigan City Historical Society celebrated 50 years at the Old Lighthouse Museum, all thanks to the efforts of volunteers, on Saturday, when it also marked 108 years since a tragedy on the lake.

At the museum in Washington Park on July 22, members of the public helped celebrate the museum’s 50th anniversary and honored the victims of the SS Eastland disaster,

Before a series of speaker took the podium, members of the U.S. Coast Guard laid a wreath in the waters of Trail Creek to honor the victims of the Eastland, which sank in Chicago while preparing to embark for Michigan City.

A benediction was conducted by Brother Shaun Gray of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.

After the history of the disaster was outlined by former Historical Society President Jim Retseck, several public officials spoke.

Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry gave a short history of the Great Lakes, saying they have been a “water highway” moving commodities such as iron ore and crops across America, with more than 200 active lighthouses to guide ships.

Parry also spoke on the history of Michigan City, from its founding in 1832 and incorporation in 1836, one year before Chicago. He spoke of the Michigan City Lighthouse becoming the property of the city in 1960 and being operated by the MC Historical Society since 1965 after being abandoned by the Coast Guard in 1940. It had been in operation since 1858.

“Without our lighthouse on the breakwater, without all the historical artifacts and records contained in this fabulous lighthouse museum, and finally without the tireless dedication of our own Michigan City Historical Society, its army of volunteers and supporters, we would not be here today to celebrate and enjoy the great treasure in its 50 year milestone,” Parry said.

State Sen. Mike Bohaceck, R-Michiana Shores, said without the museum, the children of Michigan City and his own children would not know what the area looked like before. He thanked the volunteers there for their dedicated service.

Bohacek said the Eastland disaster touched his own family, as a relative was scheduled to get on the ship, but decided against it in order to go to work at his second job in the stock yard.

“It’s a great memorial on the other side of the museum,” he said. “And it’s one that we should all look at and remember.”

U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-1st, echoed Bohacek’s sentiment about preserving the city’s history for future generations, saying he wants to honor their actions.

He said Lake Michigan is one of the region’s greatest assets, and many people migrated to the region to work in the steel industry thanks to the lake.

“I will always leverage my office to make sure we’re investing in the lake and the asset that provides so much for Northwest Indiana and, in particular, Michigan City,” Mrvan said.

“To make sure we have clean air and clean water and we’re investing in the quality of life so that generations can come to this place in particular and say how we’ve done our part to not only preserve the history, but to be able to preserve our natural resources.”

Mrvan added that when the community comes together to memorialize all of those who lost their lives in the Eastland disaster, it was something very special.

Retseck told the story of how 844 men, women and children died on July 24, 1915, when the Eastland capsized in the Chicago River prior to a voyage to Michigan City, saying 70 percent of the victims were between 15 and 30 years old.

“There wasn’t any passenger list, no manifests. There were no John Jacob Astor or Benjamin Guggenheims or Molly Browns on board. This wasn’t the Titanic. When the Eastland went over, nobody knew who they were.”

Retseck said more than 7,000 tickets were sold and the Eastland was to be the first of five ships to sail 36 miles from Chicago to Michigan City.

There is only a small marker indicating where the tragedy happened, Resteck said, adding the city of Chicago wanted to forget about it. However, 100 years later, on July 25, 2015, after years of planning and fundraising, a memorial was placed on the east side of the museum in Michigan City dedicated to those who lost their lives.

Other memorials were erected in Michigan City as well, according to Retseck. Anthony Levendowski and Cecilia Brinckman, niece and nephew of victim Anna Kubiak, partnered with the Historical Society to place a headstone in her memory in Resurrection Cemetery in Illinois.

After the formal program, hot dogs and root beer were provided by Carlson’s Drive-In in Michigan City, and free tours of the museum were conducted throughout the day. The Michigan City Municipal Band provided music and played “Taps” after the wreath was laid.