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Attractions
The Illinois & Michigan Canal Museum is located in the original 1837 canal headquarters building at 803 North State Street in Lockport. Costumed guides explain museum exhibits and tell stories from the canal days. There are ten rooms of period items that provide insight on what life was like along the canal. For more information on the museum call (815) 838-5080.
Built in 1838, the Gaylord Building Historic Site now serves as an Illinois & Michigan Canal Visitors Center. The building was originally used as a warehouse along the canal. In 1859 an Italianate addition was completed. The building was restored in 1987 and serves as a fine example of adaptive reuse. The Gaylord Building Historic Site is listed as a National Historic Landmark and is located at 200 West 8th Street in Lockport. Call (815) 588-1100 for additional information.
The Chicago Portage National Historic Site was an important crossroad for Native Americans, French fur traders, and early settlers. Before the Illinois & Michigan Canal’s existence, the portage was a short, low divide that travelers crossed to travel between Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. It was declared a National Historic Site in 1952. There is a monument to French explorers, Marquette and Joliet and their Indian guides. An interpretive facility is being developed that will include a museum, library, and other resources. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is located at 536 North Harlem Avenue in River Forest. Call (708) 771-1330 for details.
The La Salle County Historical Society Museum is located in a restored pre-civil war stone warehouse in Utica. The museum contains a wealth of early La Salle County history with period furnishings, clothing, farm tools, and Indian artifacts. Displays include a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, and an exhibit on the Illinois & Michigan Canal. For details call (815) 667-4861.
As of January 2001, the Illinois State Museum has a new home in the Historic Norton Building in Lockport. The museum showcases the works of Illinois artists and also offers a permanent exhibit on the Illinois & Michigan Canal. For more details call the Illinois State Museum at (815) 838-7400.
The Isle a la Cache Museum presents the history of the region during the French-Indian fur trade era. The exhibits focus on the mid 1700's and offer hands-on learning experiences. The museum is located on an 80-acre island in the Des Plaines River at Romeoville. Besides the hands-on exhibits and the living history programs, the museum offers a walking trail along the river complete with scenic picnic facilities. Call (815) 886-1467 for more information on the Isle a la Cache Museum.
The M J Hogan Grain Elevator is the only remaining grain elevator that was built for use on the canal. The elevator was constructed in 1861 on the canal in Seneca. While waiting to be shipped to market, 70,000 bushels of grain could be stored at the elevator. The canal and elevator allowed local farmers to ship their grain in bulk to Chicago markets which saved on freight costs and yielded a larger profit. Today the elevator is open to the public and houses a visitors’ center. For more information call (815) 357-6197.
Canal Visitor Centers
Eight parks and historical sites along the canal corridor are designated Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Visitor Centers where you can obtain information about the corridor and everything it has to offer.
Little
Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, 9800 South 109th Ave, Willow Springs,
(708) 839-6897
Isle a la Cache Museum, 501
East Romeo Road, Romeoville, (815) 886-1467
I & M Canal Visitor Center, 200 West 8th Street, Lockport, (815) 838-4830
Will County Historical
Society Museum, 803 South State Street, (815) 838-5080
Will-Joliet Bicentennial Park, 201 West Jefferson, Joliet, (815) 724-3760
Goose
Lake Prairie State Natural Area, 5010 North Jugtown Road, Morris,
(815) 942-2899
I
& M Canal State Trail-Gebhard Woods Access, 402 Ottawa Street,
Morris, (815) 942-0796
Illinois Waterway
Visitor Center, Dee Bennette Road, 3 miles east of Utica, (815) 667-4054