Columbia Disaster

On July 5, 1918, the excursion steamboat Columbia with 496 passengers on board hit a submerged stump and sank in the Illinois River near Wesley City (Creve Coeur), Illinois. The steamboat was returning from an outing on the Illinois River sponsored by the Pekin South Side Social Club. The Columbia was making a return trip from Alfresco Park in Peoria. 87 people on board died, including one crewman; 57 of those were from Pekin. The boat ran into the Peoria shore in a heavy fog, backed away, and began sinking immediately, water rushing in through a large hole in the bow. Loss of life is said to have resulted largely from the panic that followed immediately on the boat as it began to sink. As soon as the news reached Peoria relief parties were organized. Every doctor in the city who could be summoned was directed to report to the depot. A special train was made up at once and rushed to the scene of the disaster. The sinking of the Columbia was the worst disaster on the Illinois River in history.