We've completed another twelve-months of delivering top notch programs and services! The marquee accomplishment for 2004 was the release to major bookstores throughout the country of Jay Bonansinga's book, The Sinking of the Eastland: America's Forgotten Tragedy.

The significance of the release of Jay's book is that it now gives, for the first time ever, NATIONWIDE exposure to the Eastland Disaster and EDHS. From Seattle to Texas to New Hampshire to North Carolina, we've had people contact us upon buying the book at Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc.! Read the wonderful feedback we have received from some of those who have read Jay's book!

The balance of this newsletter will take a look at several exciting projects and events upon which we will be working during 2005.

Thorndike Press, the world's leading publisher of Large Print books, has acquired the permission and rights to publish The Sinking of the Eastland in large print. Thorndike Press offers thousands of Large Print titles.

Stay tuned to this newsletter for information on how to order a large print edition.

Another first! Later this summer we will be unveiling and dedicating the first ever permanent Eastland Disaster display that will include both text and images. This new 5' x 7' two-dimensional display will grace the lobby of the historic Reid Murdoch Center.

Yet another first - this time in the form of artwork! A bronze and stone Eastland Disaster monument will be dedicated and will permanently reside at the Bohemian National Cemetery in Chicago. The monument is the result of a collaboration between three organizations - EDHS, Bohemian National Cemetery, and Friends of Bohemian National Cemetery. The dedication date has not yet been established.

More news! Ted Wachholz has reached an agreement with Arcadia Publishing to write a new photo-essay book on the Eastland Disaster. Arcadia Publishing is the leading local history publisher in the United States, with a catalog of more than 2,500 titles in print. The book on the Eastland Disaster will be part of Arcadia's popular Images of America series.

Sunday, July 24, 2005 will mark the 90th anniversary of the Eastland Disaster. The EDHS commemoration of the 90th anniversary will be held the weekend of July 23-24.

• Arrangements for an afternoon river cruise and an evening dinner/program are tentatively being planned for Saturday, July 23.
• A brief, 15-minute commemorative ceremony will be held on Sunday, July 24, in the early afternoon.

Mark your calendars today to plan to be in Chicago! More details will be released in the upcoming months.

As we continue to expand the valued services that EDHS provides to the constituents we serve, we have been growing our EDHS Board of Trustees, as well as our newly formed National Advisory Council.

George Drost is the founding partner in the law offices of Drost, Kivlahan & McMahon, Ltd. He is Adjunct Professor at John Marshall Law School (Chicago) where he also participates in the John Marshall Law School/Masaryk University Exchange Program. George is Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic.

Carol Gilchrist owned and operated three nursery schools for 37 years in southwest Michigan. Her mother, Marie Hrabacka (nee Homola), was one of the last living survivors of the Eastland Disaster. Carol splits her time living in Michigan and Florida.

"Let's take the second boat - it's safer," Charles A. Vileta, a 23 year old assember at Western Electric company told his three buddies. Instead they boarded the first boat, the Eastland.

EDHS has numerous public programs scheduled during the first quarter. Please follow the "Upcoming public presentations" link below under "Quick Links" to see a list of where we will be and when.

Author Jay Bonansinga will be signing books Tuesday, Feb. 1, 7:00 p.m. at the Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy, Aurora (Ill.), and Sunday, Feb. 27, 2:00 p.m. at the Chicago Historical Society. Please call toll-free 1-877-865-6295 for more information.