In This Issue

Volunteers Wanted
The growing CCA library needs your help. We recently expanded our collection and moved our offices to the Norton Building.  A volunteer librarian or archivist can help insure that this collection remains accessible to researchers (and ourselves).  Volunteer help is need or organize and /or maintain our collection.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Pat Chinderle, pchinderle@canalcor.org or 815.588.1100.

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Are You a Member?
Are you a member of Canal Corridor Association?  If not, consider joining today.  Memberships begin at just $35 per year, with discounts for multi-year memberships. Your gift will both provide fun CCA member benefits AND help build an exciting future for a region that brings to life a rich and vibrant past. Membership forms are available online.

If you are a member, thank you.  Please let us know if there is anything we can do to improve the membership experience.

Send Us Your News!
If you have an event, activity or brief news item you would like to see in eNews, please email us at enews@canalcor.org.

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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.

President's Note

Hello Everyone,

Canal Corridor Association welcomes eight newly elected mayors and village presidents to the heritage corridor family.   Congratulations to:

Patrick Kitching, Alsip

David Brady, Bedford Park

Robert Polk, Burnham

Gary Grasso, Burr Ridge

Nick Churovic, Crest Hill

Timothy Murphy, Lockport

Jason Briscoe, Minooka and

Alan Nowaczyk, Willow Springs

Many people may not realize that there are 49 communities in the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor.   Here are tidbits about the eight with new elected leaders.

• Alsip, settled in 1834 by Joseph and Hannah Lane, was once known as “Lane's Island”.   The island referred to Alsip's elevation relative to its neighbors.
• Bedford Park had its origins in the 1880s as part of the Clearing Industrial District.
• Burr Ridge was for many years the site of International Harvester Company's experimental farm, as well as the Cook County Prison Farm.
• Burnham is located at the point where the branches of the Calumet River met before flowing north into Lake Calumet and Lake Michigan.
• Crest Hill incorporated in 1960 to avoid being annexed to Joliet.   Most of the community's tax revenue comes from Stateville Correctional Facility.
• Lockport was a creation of the I&M Canal Commission, which based its headquarters there in 1838.
• Minooka incorporated in 1869 as a thriving town along the Rock Island railroad.
• In the 1870s and 1880s ice was harvested from the Des Plaines River in large quantities at Willow Springs.

Hope to see you at our annual benefit luncheon, Monday, April 25, in Chicago's Drake Hotel.   More information is below in the calendar.   Call Pat at 815-588-1100 for reservations.

Sincerely,

Ana B. Koval

President & CEO

Opening Day on the I&M Canal

Major league baseball teams have all had their opening day by now, a sure sign of spring.   There were many opening days in the I&M Canal's history, 85 of them to be exact. The canal closed every year sometime in November or December and did not reopen until mid-March or early April.   Between 1848 and 1900, the main years of canal use, the earliest date opening date was March 4th , while the latest was April 20th .  

Especially in the canal's early days, the opening day of trade brought an end to a winter of relative isolation.   The slow moving canal boats brought communities throughout the canal corridor into contact with places such as New Orleans, and St. Louis, and New York.   Thus, few events in Chicago's history were more eagerly anticipated than the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.   It had taken twelve years of on-again, off-again labor to construct the canal.   As the day neared Chicago newspapers excitedly announced the latest developments, including the formation of a committee to coordinate the celebration of the first packet boat trip.   Long time Chicagoans and canal supporters such as Gurdon S. Hubbard, John H. Kinzie, William B. Ogden (all founders of the Board of Trade) participated in the planning.

The I&M officially opened on April 10, 1848, and many Chicago residents made the trek to suburban Bridgeport to see the arrival of the canal boat General Fry .   The throng cheered as a towboat guided her to the waters of Lake Michigan, with newspapers trumpeting the Wedding of the Waters, namely those of Lake Michigan with the mighty Mississippi River .   Passenger service began later in the month with the departure of the St. Louis on April 26.   The following day several canal commissioners took a packet for the western terminus at LaSalle.

Canal Boat Captain's Lunch, April 25

If you're thinking about joining CCA in honoring retired Congressman William Lipinski at this year's Canal Boat Captain's Luncheon, now is the time to make reservations.  Congressman Lipinski played a key role in passing legislation creating the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor and continued to advocate for measures that supported corridor development throughout his distinguished career.  

Individual tickets ($95 each) and tables ($1,250) for the luncheon are on sale now.  All proceeds benefit Canal Corridor Association work to preserve and promote the heritage corridor.  For reservations contact Pat Chinderle, 815.588.1100 or pchinderle@canalcor.org by April 20th.

Portable Banner Displays for Sale

A recent inventory of CCA storage facilities uncovered a surplus of attractive, sophisticated portable banner display stands.  These stands are used in many CCA events and exhibits, including the Special Places Showcase and the 20th Anniversary Exhibit (shown at right).  The stands display banners up to 32"x89" (WxH) and, with additional hardware, can support acrylic panels up to 20 pounds.

We have 25 of these versitile display systems available for $40 each, plus shipping if necessary.  Please contact Eric Stoller, 815.588.1100 or estoller@canalcor.org, if you're interested.

Upcoming Events

Here is a sampling of events happening in the corridor.  For a more complete listing of winter and spring events, visit the eNews Calendar.  Don't see your event listed here?  Please send it to enews@canalcor.org.

Sunday, April 24--Folk Art Festival, Lockport

Will County Historical Society's 24th annual Folk Art Festival is a great opportunity to experience pioneer life.  From noon to 5 pm at Pioneer Settlement along the banks of the I & M Canal in Lockport you can enjoy Civil War re-enactments and tour the interiors of buildings in the "settlement"--one of only four times each year they are open.  For further information call 815.838.5080 Tuesday through Sunday between 1 and 4 pm.

Monday, April 25--Canal Boat Captain's Luncheon, Chicago
Join Canal Corridor Association as we honor retired congressman William O. Lipinski with the 2005 Canal Boat Captain award.  This benefit luncheon, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, will honor Mr. Lipinski's contributions to the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, and raise funds for the Canal Corridor Association.  Seats begin at $95.  For further information call 815.588.1100.

Thursday, May 5--Gaylord Building Dinner-Lecture Series, Lockport
The University of Chicago’s Dr. Michael P. Conzen presents "The Shaping of Lockport: Canal Commissioners and Urban Development."  The cost is $25 for CCA members, $30 for non-members.  A cash bar opens at 6 pm; dinner is at 6:45 with the lecture to follow.  For required reservations or further information contact Pat Chinderle, 815.588.1100 or pchinderle@canalcor.org.