“ Waterway: Its 310 Year History.” The Waterways Journal Weekly. (August 27, 1983): 8.

The Illinois Waterway: Its 310 Year History

By John Lamb

Canada, until the Sioux Indians successfully gained control of it in the early 18th century. Fell into Disuse After that neither the French nor the British, who in 1763 took over the French possessions, used the route much. It was not until the area came under the control of the that the interest in the Lake -Illinois route revived. In the late 18th century, the trader Du Sable showed the economic value of the location. In 1795 the Treaty of Grenville forced the Indians to give up an area at the mouth of the where a fort was built in 1803 to protect this link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. The fort was named without unloading its cargo. Fort Dearborn. In the 18th and Although 1983 is the 50th early 19th centuries, various anniversary of the completion of Fired by the discovery, the federal officials wrote of the the Illinois Waterway, that date French concentrated upon trade importance of this connection for represents just one major step in and settlement in the Illinois and the development of the Northwest achieving an idea that is now 310 Mississippi valleys. The Territories, particularly the years old. For it was in 1673 that weakness of Joliet’s plan was western part. The first practical Joliet first put forward the concept pointed out by La Salle when he step towards the construction of a of a waterway to connect the visited the Chicago area in 1682 canal came in 1816 when the Great Lakes to the Mississippi and noted that the Des Plaines Pottawatamis Indians ceded a strip River by cutting through the low River (which joins the Kankakee of land along both sides of the Des ridge that separated the Chicago some 50 miles from Lake Plaines and Illinois rivers. This River from the Des Plaines. His Michigan to form the Illinois was specifically for building a plan called for digging a small River) was too low during most of canal that would allow the Indians canal of a few hundred yards to the year to carry much of a cargo, to sell their goods in the East. connect these two rivers. Louis even in canoes. But the Chicago XIV of France and his finance portage, where the canoes and Illinois Becomes Interested minister, Colbert, were informed cargo were carried between the In 1818 Illinois became a state of the plan, as it was supposed to Chicago River and the Des and the new state’s most ambitious enable a ship to sail from Niagara Plaines, remained the principal project was a waterway to connect Falls to the Gulf of Mexico route between the Midwest and Lake Michigan to the Illinois. In

156 1822 representatives of the state County Historical Society at 803 Public Lands held a hearing on the got the federal government to South State St., in Lockport (open Percy bill last November 30, but grant a strip of land from the 1-4:30 p.m. daily). neither bills cleared before the end Chicago River to the Illinois for a of the last session. Everyone is The Illinois Department of canal. As a result of this grant in not happy, however, with the Conservation gained title to what 1824, the first survey to find a corridor idea. A letter in the remained of the canal about 1972, route for the canal was done by Illinois press by Dr. Robert developed some areas for Rene Post and Justus Paul. In Whalen, stated he objected recreation and a 60-mile Illinois- 1827 the state was granted particularly to Section 13 of the Michigan Canal State Trail additional land consisting of bills which would release to the between Morris and Channahon. alternate sections on either side of state of Illinois all remaining rights The 15-mile stretch between the proposed canal for the purpose of property associated with the Channahon and the Gebhard of financing the canal. The state I&M except “as to the canal prism Woods State Park (near Morris) is then organized a canal commission and towpath.” Dr. Whalen wrote, available for both hiking and that sought to exploit this gift of “Does anyone doubt that big cycling, while the 10 miles land by developing towns and business or special interest groups between Gebhard to Seneca is best selling lots. In 1830 Chicago was who have had land adjoining the for hiking only. (We thank Mrs. laid out in streets and lots, as was canal will not succeed in buying Ralph Emerson, Chicago, for Ottawa at the junction of the Fox and dealing for canal land from the sending items on this. River and the Illinois. The state and thus remove it from the purpose was to sell lots to An Historical Corridor public ownership? The original speculators to finance the legislation creating the canal stated A more recent development has construction of the canal. The that it should stay in public use, been the introduction of legislation 1830 lot sale in Chicago were and a reverter clause has caused to create an Illinois and Michigan disappointingly insignificant. But the state of Illinois to lose title to Canal Heritage Corridor. Sens. the prospect of a canal connecting the canal when it started to dispose Charles Percy (R-Ill.) and Alan J. the Great Lakes to the Mississippi of parts of the canal.” Dixon (D-Ill.) Introduced S.746, brought in a large number of and Rep. Thomas Corcoran (R- A picture and a full description settlers and speculators. In 1833, Ill.) H.R. 2014. The latter was of the City of Pekin ran in the as a result, Chicago was chartered cosponsored by 21 other members February 14, 1981, WJ. She was as a village. In 1836 construction of the Illinois delegation. Similar built as the City of Henry at began on the Illinois and Michigan legislation in the last session died, Chicago in 1875, with hull Canal. Although it would be 12 although the Senate Subcommittee dimensions of 99.2 by 17.4 by 6.9 years before this project was on Public Lands did hold a hearing feet. She burned below the U. S. completed, its completion, despite on Sen. Percy’s bill. Highway 6 bridge at Channahon in financial difficulties, was pushed 1941; the state had planned to by the chief engineer, William The legislation would establish make her into a display boat, but Gooding. Before 1848 a number an Illinois and Michigan Canal this was not done. of towns sprang up along the Heritage Corridor Commission canal, and river towns below it within the U. S. Department of Work Planned on Canal prospered, most of all, the City of Interior, with the aim of stabilizing The Illinois Department of Chicago. structures and preserving historic Conservation has applied for two buildings. And to establish Gone But Not Forgotten permits from the Rock Island intermittent recreational trails District for work on the Illinois Although traffic on the I&M is from Summit to La Salle, Ill. and Michigan Canal. In one a thing of the past, it has certainly There would be visitor orientation project, 4,000 feet of the canal not been forgotten. Its history is displays at eight locations along would be dredged to allow water preserved in the I&M Canal the corridor from Chicago to Peru. flow in the channel. The excavated Museum, operated by the Will The Senate Subcommittee on

157 material would be placed along the pilot channel 1-2 feet deep along Old Canal Days is observed at river-ward edge of the towpath. 23,000 feet of the canal near the Lockport the third weekend of The work would be at the mouth mouth of Crotty Creek and June. Our thanks to Rose of Pecumsaugan Creek, about between North Kickapoo and Rat Bucciferro, curator of the society mid-way between La Salle and Run creeks. The purpose of the museum and archives, for the Utica. channel would be to facilitate picture and canal material. drainage from the Village of The other work would be the (To be continued September 3.) Seneca. construction of a 10- to 12-foot

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