"Part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library research collection, Springfield"
On the night of July 5, 1918, a steamboat named "Columbia, " returning from a moonlight excursion, collapsed and sank in the middle of the Illinois River. Of the nearly 500 passengers on board that night, most were from the town of Pekin. Eighty-seven people lost their lives in the disaster. The rest were left to tell their stories of fortitude and survival.
The worst maritime accident in the history of the Illinois River, the wreck of the "Columbia" is a mostly forgotten tragedy today. Ken Zurski's...

From Ken Zurski, author of The Wreck of the Columbia, comes a collection of stories about people and events which helped shape a city and region. Included are profiles of Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Lindbergh and many other famous and not so famous figures who played a part in the rich history of Peoria and Central Illinois. Incorporating important historical milestones like the first flights, the rise of the automobile, and radio's early days, Zurski skillfully intertwines local and national perspectives into each story for a captivating trip back to the past....