Illinois & Michigan Canal

Illinois & Michigan Canal (HM1JJA)

Location: Chicago, IL 60611 Cook County
Buy Illinois State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 41° 53.474', W 87° 36.661'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 688 views
Inscription

National Heritage Corridor

Water Marks mosaic sculptures celebrate something few people know. Chicago owes its greatness to a canal built over 150 years ago.

Generations of French fur traders and American travelers―nation builders―dreamed of connecting Lake Michigan with the Illinois River, which flows into the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois & Michigan Canal, begun in 1836 and completed in 1846, provided the critical link. The 97-mile I&M Canal became the water highway that opened the Midwest to commerce in the mid-nineteenth century.

Laid out by canal commissioners at the eastern end was a town called Chicago. When the canal opened, the tiny village sprouted into the most important city of the American Midwest.

The canal closed in 1933, but its legacy continues to shape Illinois. In 1984, recognizing the canals pivotal role, Congress designated the canal region as the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor. The old I&M Canal is now a place to ride bikes, hike, and paddle canoes. It's a place to reconnect with the beauty of prarie landscapes and small-town Main Streets and rediscover the region's rich history.

Discover the I&M Canal Corridor

The I&M Canal began 5.5 miles southwest of here, in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. The I&M Canal Origins Park, located where the canal met the Chicago River, provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the city. Be sure to visit the canal's locks and aqueducts, which are still found along the Heritage Corridor. Don't miss the last two surviving canal-side warehouses―the Gaylord Building, in Lockport, and the LaSalle County Historical Society Museum in Utica.

Enjoy Trails and Nature You can hike, bike, fish, picnic, camp, boat, and golf in the Heritage Corridor, a national park in Chicago's backyard. The 61.5 mile I&M canal State Trail is a great starting point, passing through historic towns, forest preserves and rural landscapes.

Enjoy the ancient canyons of Starved Rock, the grasslands of Goose Lake Prairie, and the ravines of the Palos Forest Preserve. Watch for heron and egrets that fly along the waterways, and roost in rookeries at Lake Renwick. Stop at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the Chicago region's newest wildlife sanctuary on the grounds of the former Joliet Army Arsenal.

Step Back in Time The I&M Canal towns outside Chicago still show their nineteenth century charm. Visit Main Street shopping districts and enjoy a variety of specialty stores. See historic churches, city halls, homes and storefronts. Discover the unexpected―an ornate movie palace in Joliet, or a grain elevator turned visitor center in Seneca.

Learn of the coral reefs that once covered the area. Trace the history of the region's many Native American tribes and discover the rich history of the immigrant groups that shaped America.

Here's How Twelve Visitor Centers in the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor are starting points for excursions.

Call 1-800-926-2262 for more information.
Details
HM NumberHM1JJA
Tags
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Friday, March 13th, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 449310 N 4637880
Decimal Degrees41.89123333, -87.61101667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 41° 53.474', W 87° 36.661'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds41° 53' 28.44" N, 87° 36' 39.66" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)312, 773, 630
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling North
Closest Postal AddressAt or near N Streeter Dr, Chicago IL 60611, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?