|
Waterways
The I&M Canal was the
first in a succession of waterways that shaped the development of
northern Illinois. Canals played a central role in shaping the American
economy. During the canal era in the U. S., from about 1790-1860, over
3,000 miles of canal were built. In 1825 the Erie Canal opened a water
route to the West. The I&M followed soon after, giving Illinois the key
to the mastery of the mid-continent. The I&M Canal created new trade and
passenger routes, and transformed the frontier into a transportation
center. By 1900 the I&M had largely outlived its usefulness, although it
continued operating until 1933. The larger Sanitary and Ship Canal
opened in 1900. The Cal Sag Channel, completed in 1922, also served
industry. The Illinois Waterway, opened in 1933, established a
deep-water shipping route between the Mississippi River and Lake
Michigan. Today this route continues the tradition of water transport
that helped define the Midwest. The latest link, the St. Lawrence
Seaway, opened in 1959 and connected the Atlantic Ocean with the Great
Lakes allowing ocean-going ships to dock at Lake Calumet.
In July 1871 the I&M
played a central role in one of the boldest engineering feats ever
attempted-—the reversal of the Chicago River. Contemporary observers
called the river a "sluggish, slimy stream, too lazy to clean itself."
Sewage and other waste dumped into the Chicago River, which emptied into
the lake, had polluted Chicago’s water supply for years. The canal was
deepened, allowing the waters of Lake Michigan to flow down the canal
and into the Illinois River. Residents of canal towns, afraid of
diseases being brought by the canal, were furious, and complained of the
terrible smell, and reduced property values.
However, this
achievement did not constitute a final solution, and in 1900, the
Sanitary and Ship Canal permanently reversed the flow of the river. Many
people today confuse the much wider and deeper Sanitary and Ship Canal
with the I&M Canal; they run parallel to each other. The Sanitary and
Ship Canal also performs the same functions as the I&M, namely the
shipping of bulk goods and the transport of sewage. Most nineteenth-
century canals were replaced by railroads or other means of
transportation, but here in Illinois water is still an important means
of delivering goods. |
