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Canal Corridor Association is a membership organization that preserves history, protects nature and open space, and creates destinations where people can learn and have fun in the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, from Lake Michigan in Chicago to the Illinois River in LaSalle/Peru. It enhances, raises awareness of and expands the parks, trails, landscape and historic sites that make the I&M Canal region a special place. CCA manages the Gaylord Building, a National Trust Historic Site, in Lockport, Illinois. One of the oldest industrial buildings in the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, the Gaylord Building is a model of adaptive reuse, featuring the Public Landing restaurant, canal exhibits and more.

CCA President's Note

Good News!  The Port of LaSalle attraction is now scheduled to open in 2007.  The Canal Corridor Association and the City of LaSalle have secured enough funding to construct an 1848 replica canal passenger boat.  The project is currently out to bid.  Stay tuned for more information in our next issue of the eNews.

In this issue you will find information about two exciting events at the Gaylord Building and an article by Ron about what is was like each spring when the Canal opened for the season.

Happy Spring!

Ana B. Koval

President & CEO

Canal Fact

Canal diggers often demanded that whiskey be provided as part of their wages.  One group refused to work on Lock 8 until the contractor gave in to their demand.

Learn to Fix Up Your Old House with PBS' Bob Yapp

The Canal Corridor Association is partnering with the Flagg Creek Historical Society, the Joliet Historic Preservation Commission and the Will County Historic Preservation Commission to offer you a chance to hear Bob Yapp, PBS creator and host of "About Your House with Bob Yapp".

Bob Yapp, a nationally recognized expert in preserving older buildings, has heard it all. People are afraid to fix-up older buildings because they assume it will cost more than new construction. Or they think a restored building won’t be as energy efficient as a new one. At “Preservation Doesn’t Cost – It Pays,” Mr. Yapp will present the dollars and sense of historic preservation, and show you how to save money while protecting the historic character of your home, place of business or community. The talk will be held 10 am to noon on April 8 at Lockport’s Gaylord Building Historic Site.

He explains that preservation is the ultimate in recycling, considering that 40 percent of landfill material is demolition and construction debris. He also points out that preservation:

• Helps revitalize historic neighborhoods and downtowns;

• Increases property values;

• Brings new businesses and people to communities.

He’ll discuss: 

• Why preserving original materials costs less and is generally more energy efficient than replacing them;

• Why preservation is one of the most vital economic development tools available;

• How to stop teardowns in your community and more.

A lifelong preservationist, Mr. Yapp has completed more than 150 rehabs of historic properties and spent 30 years writing and teaching practical, cost-effective preservation techniques from coast to coast. He is a community preservation specialist with the Historic Landmark Foundation of Indiana, where he staffs six historic preservation commissions and trains contractors, homeowners and nonprofits in how to cost-effectively preserve, rehab and restore historic buildings. Mr. Yapp created, produced and hosted a weekly national PBS program called “About Your House With Bob Yapp” and co-authored the companion “About Your House” book, focusing on repair and maintenance of older homes. He has also hosted a syndicated radio program called “The House Doctor.”

Admission to “Preservation Doesn’t Cost – It Pays” is $25 ($20 for CCA members) and includes handouts. Seating is limited; advance registration is required. Call 815-588-1100. The Gaylord Building Historic Site is located at 200 W. 8^th Street, Lockport.

Spring Fever Along the I&M Canal

As we awaken from our winter hibernation (although it has been a fairly mild winter by Chicago standards) we look forward to the harbingers of spring: the first robin, the start of baseball season, breaking out the summer wardrobe. While today we certainly look forward to spring, people living in the 19th century were much more closely tied to the rhythms of the changing seasons.

With the onset of winter the water in the canal froze, usually in mid to late November. During the 130 or so days when the canal was closed, communication with the rest of the world slowed, as mail now had to travel by stagecoach. With water connections with the South curtailed, sugar and salt became precious commodities and fresh fruit was just a memory, to be savored again only with the arrival of spring.

Depending on conditions, the I&M Canal opened as early as March 4th. The latest opening date (May 8th) occurred in 1857, when devastating floods wreaked havoc on the canal. On average, the canal opened during the first week of April, heralding a bustle of activity throughout the canal corridor. “The city is a great hive, just ready to swarm,” gushed a Chicago newspaper on April 8, 1852. One romantic soul breathlessly exclaimed, “Spring is coming fast, glorious season which gives us new life while nature lures us to her arms.” In short, hearts beat a little faster and people began to live again.

In the days before railroads the opening of the I&M Canal was a truly momentous event. Spring was heralded by the return of the boatman’s horn sending forth its cheerful notes. People flocked to the canal boat landings to witness the unloading of the boats. From the east came glassware, cutlery, furniture and the latest dresses and hats, sending people on extended shopping sprees. Lumber from the north woods of Wisconsin and Michigan came down the Great Lakes to Chicago, making the city one of the lumber capitals of the world. Nearly every canal boat carried lumber to the inhabitants of the prairie country, where this precious resource was used to construct homes, grain elevators and warehouses.

Travel again became a priority for families who had been hunkered down to survive the chilling cold of January and February. “The great pulses of travel are now beating steadily and strong, but the volume is to become yet fuller and the pulsation more frequent,” boasted the Chicago Daily Journal in May of 1852. Large numbers of southerners boarded steamboats at New Orleans or other points to make the trek up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to LaSalle, where they transferred to canal boats for the 96 mile trip to Chicago.

Don't Miss the Last Spring 2006 Dinner/Lecture Series at the Gaylord Building

Gallimaufry - Songs of the I&M Canal Sure to Delight

“I’ll Always Be Your Buddy on the I&M Canal” and “Mule Boy’s Lament.” They might not be Top 10 tunes today, but for the 19^th century immigrants who labored to dig the I&M Canal, songs like these told their stories and reflected their dreams. “Dig Me a Ditch: Spirit of the Illinois & Michigan Canal,” a performance by the folk group Gallimaufry, will bring these and other canal songs to life April 20 at the final spring Dinner & Lecture at the Gaylord Building Historic Site.

“If you’ve been wanting to come out for one of our Dinner & Lecture events this spring and just haven’t gotten around to it, now’s your last chance until fall,” says Ana Koval, president and CEO of the Canal Corridor Association, which hosts the events. “Gallimaufry always puts on a fun, toe-tapping show. You won’t want to miss it.”

The event, to be held in the Gaylord Building with dinner provided by the Public Landing Restaurant, begins with a cash bar reception at 6 pm, followed by dinner at 6:45 and the performance around 8:00. Choose from lightly breaded, stuffed chicken breast, filled with a savory prosciutto and wild spinach stuffing, with wild rice, or potato-encrusted tilapia, pan seared and roasted, topped with pineapple butter sauce, with sweet potatoes and vegetable.  Dessert is cheesecake with strawberry sauce.

The cost of the Dinner & Lecture is $25 for Canal Corridor Association (CCA) members and $30 for non-members. Reservations are required; call 815-588-1100. The Gaylord Building is at 200 W. 8^th Street, Lockport. 

Upcoming Events

Here is a sampling of events happening in the corridor.  For a more complete listing of events, click here to visit the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitor Bureau's website.  Don't see your event listed here?  Please send it to enews@canalcor.org.

April 9, 1:30pm, Falcon Fun, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Take a closer look at some of our majestic, powerful and beautiful raptors.  Call 708-839-6897 if you have any questions.

April 15, 7:30pm, Astronomy, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

The Chicago Astronomical Society presents a slide program and a look at the heavens through telescopes, weather permitting.  Please call after 3:00pm to confirm: 708-839-6897

April 15, 22 & 29, 12:00pm, Sagawau Canyon Hikes, Camp Sagawau, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Wade the creek to see flowers, ferns, and rock formations in Cook County’s only rock canyon.  Be prepared for wet feet and slippery rocks.  Call 630-257-2045 if you have any questions.

April 16, 11:00am-3:00pm – A one hour video entitled “Butterfly Gardening” by the National Audubon Society will be available for viewing on request.  Volunteer Art Rohr will be available to answer any questions.  Goose Lake Prairie State Park Visitor Center - Call 815-942-2899 for more details.

April 22 & 29, 10:30am – “Backyard Bird Feeding” a 90 minute presentation by Art Rohr.  Learn what kind of bird food you should be serving to attract the birds you want.   Goose Lake Prairie State Park Visitor Center - Call 815-942-2899 for more details.

April 23, 9:00am-11:00am, Spring Wildflower Walk, McKinley Woods, Forest Preserve District of Will County

Join us for a hike through some of our finest woodlands to discover the spring wildflowers that paint the forest with their spectacular colors. They only last a short while so be sure not to miss this opportunity to learn about the unique flora we have in Will County. The hike will be on a natural path over some uneven terrain. Dress for the weather! Call 815-727-8700 for more details.

April 23 & 30, 11:00am-3:00pm – Video presentation “Attracting Birds to Your Backyard” by Roger Tory Peterson will be available for viewing on request.  Volunteer Art Rohr will be available to any questions.  Goose Lake Prairie State Park Visitor Center - Call 815-942-2899 for more details.

April 29, 9:00am-11:00am - Joliet Iron Works Historic Site Tour, Forest Preserve District of Will County

The City of Steel and Stone, a.k.a. Joliet, got its nickname from the raw materials surrounding it. You can walk in the workers footsteps at this archeological site. Our tour will reveal the workers' challenging lives as well as the mills' technology between 1870 and 1940, when Joliet's iron-making industry truly made a name for itself. A paved 3/4-mile trail allows you to trace the workers footsteps at this archeological site.  Call 815-727-8700 for more details.

April 29, 1:00pm-3:00pm, Bike and Brake for Wildflowers, McKinley Woods, Forest Preserve District of Will County

Looking for something different? Something to get the blood flowing and the muscles moving? Something to wake you up to the joys of spring? Then this is just what the doctor ordered. Pack you bike, helmet, water bottle, extra jacket, and drive out to McKinley Woods in Channahon. The wildflowers are blooming! Instead of the typical walking hike, a District naturalist will accompany you as you bike the I & M Canal towpath. Be sure to check you brakes because McKinley's rich display of wild beauties will cause you to STOP and LOOK. Dress for the weather. The trail is lined with limestone screening and the degree of difficulty is EASY. For ages 12 and older. Registration is required. Call 815-727-8700 for more details.

Month of April, Starved Rock Lodge is sponsoring several different events from hosting tours to Easter egg hunts.  See http://www.starvedrocklodge.com/index.cfm  for more details.

April 29, 7:00am, Early Morning Bird Walk, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Rise and shine for a refreshing walk to look for birds.  Call ahead to reserve binoculars: 708-839-6897