SS Eastland

passenger ship that rolled over in Chicago in 1915

The SS Eastland was a passenger ship based in Chicago and used for tours on the Chicago River. On July 24, 1915, the ship rolled over onto her side while tied to a dock in the Chicago River.[1]

The Eastland disaster

A total of 844 passengers and crew were killed in what was the largest loss of life from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes.[1][2]

After the disaster, Eastland was saved and sold to the United States Navy. After restorations and modifications, Eastland was designated a gunboat and renamed USS Wilmette. She was used primarily as a training vessel on the Great Lakes, and was scrapped after World War II.

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