Dwight Boyer: Forgotten Chronicler of the Eastland Disaster

What We’re Covering:

Maritime journalist Dwight Boyer (1912–1977) published a detailed Eastland Disaster account in 1971—more than two decades before most major works on the subject
His chapter in True Tales of the Great Lakes draws from courtroom records, witness interviews, and primary source material
Although George Hilton cited Boyer in Eastland: Legacy of the Titanic, Boyer's work has otherwise been mostly overlooked or uncredited

Highlights from Dwight Boyer's Career:

Boyer wrote for the Toledo Blade (1944–1954) and Cleveland Plain Dealer (into the early 1970s)
Respected journalist, known for precision, solid journalism, and vivid storytelling
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) cited his work in its Official Guide to Great Lakes Materials

Resources:

Boyer, Dwight. True Tales of the Great Lakes. Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1971. — Chapter 2: “Who Speaks for the Little Feller” (Eastland Disaster)
Hilton, George W. Eastland: Legacy of the Titanic. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1995.— Includes citation of Boyer’s 1971 account
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A Guide to Selected Great Lakes Maritime History Materials at the National Archives–Great Lakes Region. Washington, D.C.: NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, 1992.

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