Scritch Scratch draws on a historical shipwreck, the SS Eastland, which capsized in Chicago Dock in 1915. The shipwreck is a famous local disaster and forms an important part of Chicago’s cultural history. Lindsay Currie embeds this history to support her real-life setting and the mystery element of the supernatural plotline. Her book also encourages the young reader to learn about the history of the shipwreck.

The Eastland was a large passenger ship built in 1903. It had a troubled history from the start, with six crew members staging a mutiny that same year. From 1904, the Eastland started to have problems with balance, listing to the side and nearly capsizing on multiple occasions. After the Titanic sank in 1912, it became standard to equip all passenger vessels with sufficient life jackets and lifeboats for all passengers and crew. Unfortunately, in the Eastland’s case, adding these potentially life-saving but heavy elements worsened the ship’s balance issues. The lifeboats, the very high passenger allowance, and other engineering choices made the boat very top-heavy and unstable.

By 1915, the SS Eastland was used for public tours and excursions in Chicago. On July 24, 1915, it was meant to carry 2,573 passengers and crew members to a park across Lake Michigan.