The chicago river history. Bridges - Encyclopedia of Chicago .
The chicago river history. In 1887, the Illinois General Assembly decided to reverse the flow of the Chicago River through civil engineering by taking water from Lake Michigan and discharging it into the Mississippi River watershed, partly in response to concerns created by an extreme weather event in 1885 that threatened the city's water supply SS Eastland was a passenger ship based in Chicago and used for tours. [1] The Chicago Riverwalk contains restaurants, bars, cafes Chicago was growing by leaps and bounds throughout the 19th century. It is quite interesting to learn about this river that flows through the city of Chicago. The Main Branch of the Chicago River has a long and storied history that in many ways mirrors the development of Chicago itself. This is the story of the Chicago River. Calumet River System Chicago Sun-Times - By Kari K. Why does Chicago dye the river green? In 1961, Stephen Bailey, the Business Manager of Chicago Plumbers Local 130, noticed the bright green stain covering one plumber’s overalls. Initially, the city used the lake to supply water and to dispose of wastes. Apr 2, 2025 · Discover the best things to do on the Chicago Riverwalk in 2025 — from iconic bridges and boat tours to hidden art, riverside dining, and local tips you’ll love. After restorations and The Early River Many different Native American tribes settled periodically along the river, they named it “Chicagoua” after the wild garlic plant that grew on its banks. You’ll cover a lot of the city’s attractions in one tour, enjoying views of public art as well as notable buildings and architecture. Jan 14, 2020 · Offers a history of the Chicago River, covering the geology and physical geography of the river's drainage basin and the engineering measures taken since 1871 to alter its flow and direction To many Chicago residents, the Chicago River is a body of water dyed green on St. History of Chicago, Illinois The first European settlement on the present site of Chicago was the Mission of the Guardian Angel. We also completed river projects in suburban North Chicago, Lake Forest, and Glenview. Patrick's Day, balancing tradition with ecological concerns. Oct 12, 2018 · How Chicago Transformed From a Midwestern Outpost Town to a Towering City The Windy City spurred its miraculous growth by building canals, laying sewers and jacking up buildings The History of Chicago's waterworks is jam-packed with some of the most remarkable examples of human innovation, from the miles of tunnels built directly under lake Michigan to the artificial See how Chicago defied the odds and pulled off one of the greatest engineering feats in U. The Feb 26, 2025 · Discover the tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green for St. The water was A Short History of the Chicago Diversion At public meetings held by the International Upper Great Lakes Study over the last two years, many questions were raised regarding the Chicago Diversion and its impacts on Lake Michigan‐Huron. From this time forward, the Chicago River, rather than flowing out into Lake Michigan near the water intakes at the Main Stem, flowed south into the Des Plaines River and eventually to the Illinois. Soak up the sights and history along the bustling corridor of the recently renovated riverwalk promenade, and experience an unmatched view of our ever-developing city of skyscrapers! Learn about the major players in the development Sep 21, 2025 · Decades of work to clean the Chicago River culminated with the first swim in almost 100 years. The MWRD reversed the Chicago River in 1900 by constructing the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to take wastewater away from Lake Michigan to send downstream, thus protecting the source of the region’s drinking water. Friends of the Chicago River’s goal to remove the dam at River Park began in 2000, an effort aimed at removing an insurmountable barrier to fish and other wildlife, improving the overall ecology of the waterway and returning the site to its natural beauty. In 1900, the Metropolitan Sanitary District succeeded in permanently reversing the flow of the Chicago River. Native Americans were the first to discover the portage between the Chicago River and the Des Plaines River. Patrick's Day, starting in 1962. ” Oct 26, 2022 · The history of the Windy City is deeply intertwined with the history of the Chicago River—the waterway’s imposing presence can be felt throughout the city, and its impact on the metropolis has been immense. The culprit was a dye that Nov 13, 2009 · On July 24, 1915, the steamer Eastland overturns in the Chicago River, drowning between 800 and 850 of its passengers who were heading to a picnic. May 26, 2025 · The Chicago River is a navigable stream that flows into Lake Michigan. Hosted by Friends of the Chicago River, this day of service has been a city tradition since 1999. Feb 21, 2019 · "An impressively researched and expertly presented study, "The Chicago River: A Natural and Unnatural History" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library collections. After a 2018 North Branch Dam at River Park is removed. Chicago is founded. See the bridge gears, bridge lift and learn about Chicago movable bridges. After a brief walk to see gems like the Chicago Theatre up close, cruise along in the comfort of a private boat as your local guide explains the city’s highlights. Thanks to polluted waterways and lack of a sewage system, waterborne diseases were running rampant, killing thousands of Chicagoans over the course of a few decades. But where did this tradition come from? The history of St. In 1869, the federal government appropriated funds to begin harbor improvements in the region Plan a visit to the unique McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum. Before this time, the Chicago River was known by many local residents of Chicago as "the stinking river" because of the massive amounts of sewage and pollution that poured into the river from Chicago's booming industrial economy. It also is among the city’s deadliest catastrophes. Lacustrine System May 8, 2025 · On Saturday, thousands of volunteers will gather at over 75 sites along the Chicago-Calumet River System as part of a massive clean-up effort: Chicago River Day. 91564) to take a trip up the river, through the canal to Lemont and Lockport, with a view to considering the sewage condition. "—Helen Dumont, Midwest Book Review “Who wrote the book on the Chicago River? That was Libby Hill when The Chicago River: A Natural and Unnatural History was first In her in-depth book, The Chicago River: A Natural and Unnatural History, Chicago author Libby Hill describes Bubbly Creek as “the last vestige of the basin of marshes and sloughs that were once tributary to the South Branch of the Chicago River. The portage was extremely valuable as it linked the Great Lakes water system with the Mississippi River. By 1900, humans had completely reversed the direction of the river's flow by constructing the 28-mile-long Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Calumet Harbor Twelve miles south of the Chicago River, several lakes and rivers abutted Lake Michigan, including Lake Calumet, Wolf Lake, the Little Calumet River, and the Grand Calumet River. Joliet reports that a canal connecting Lake Chicago shoreline originally consisted of a natural sand edge, with dunes and swales and marshy lowlands. But how deep does the river flow through downtown Chicago? This comprehensive guide dives into the depths, history, and unique attributes of the Chicago River. Let's discover some essential facts about this river, that passes through downtown Chicago, in addition to other places. Patrick’s Day parade first stepped off in 1956 (led by Mayor Daley), the river got the green treatment in 1962. . We have deepened and dredged the river, widened it, and even reversed its flow. Read our blog post for more about the Why does the Chicago River turn green, is the green dye safe and where can you see the green river today? Here's what to know! The City of Chicago exists because of Lake Michigan and the many river systems, including the Chicago River. government agencies recommends examining “modified structural Reversing the River’s Flow While the Chicago River continued to play a minor role in commerce, the growth of Calumet Harbor made it necessary to adapt the area’s inland waterways to the needs of the rapidly expanding Chicago area. On September 21, 2025, 500 swimmers will take on the first-ever open water race through the Chicago River in nearly 100 years. Patrick’s Day to witness one of the strangest traditions in the country: the river dyeing. Like all great harbors, the Chicago River was a threshold environment, a place where the world of the water In 1900, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal opened at the southern tip of the Chicago River. As the city grew, so did River West's significance, evolving from an industrial district to a vibrant River North is a Chicago neighborhood located north of the Chicago River, south of Division Street, and west of Wabash Avenue. Feb 18, 2020 · A 28-mile canal, or “conduit,” would connect the Chicago River with the Des Plaines River. In 1779, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian, built the first permanent settlement at the mouth of the Chicago River. Jan 2, 2022 · The river that turns green during St. Our Chicago River Schools Network was formed and now reaches 17,000 students a year using the waterway to teach about history, water quality and wildlife. As the shipping industry grew and water-borne travel increased from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, via the Chicago, des Plaines, and Illinois Rivers, the importance of the area around the mouth of Chicago's Urban Waterways The City of Chicago exists because of Lake Michigan and the many river systems, including the Chicago River. To alleviate growing congestion on the Chicago River, a deep-water port was built 20 miles south of Chicago at Lake Calumet. It reverses the direction of the Main Stem and the South Branch of the Chicago River, which now flows out of Lake Michigan rather than into it. Thus the river was forced to flow into the Des Plaines. In a herculean effort to save the city from the ravages of typhoid, cholera, and other Sep 6, 2023 · Unraveling the History: To understand the gravity of this situation, it is crucial to delve into the history of the Chicago River and its development. On 24 July 1915, the ship capsized while tied to a dock in the Chicago River. It marks the boundary between the Bridgeport and McKinley Park community areas of the city. May-September: Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet's exploration of the Mississippi River and Lake Michigan takes them by the future site of Chicago. The river underwent extensive cleaning during the 1990s as part of an effort at beautification by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Army Engineers had identified this as an area that could be developed as a harbor. Many of the city’s landmarks are bridges, we’ve Mar 14, 2024 · Learn more about the history of the Chicago Green River, a hallmark of the city's St. This was done for reasons of sanitation through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This visually captivating journey serves as an enjoyable exploration of the One of the best ways to enjoy Chicago is by sailing along the Chicago River. It was the latest sign of how the city’s relationship with its river has changed. Mar 14, 2025 · For six decades, Chicago has marked St. Patrick's Day traditions. After a Apr 2, 2025 · Discover the best things to do on the Chicago Riverwalk in 2025 — from iconic bridges and boat tours to hidden art, riverside dining, and local tips you’ll love. [1][2] After the disaster, Eastland was salvaged and sold to the United States Navy. The disaster was caused by serious problems with The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is a 28-mile-long (45 km) canal system that connects the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River. history. Apr 24, 2025 · Let us challenge those ideas and look a little deeper at this river - the significant history in its reversal and its value to the people and future of Illinois. The video depicts the City’s history and development of the waterways. Chicago has persevered both because of and in spite of its river and only through great feats of ingenuity, hard work, and sheer will. Sep 24, 2025 · For the first time in 98 years, swimmers made history by taking an organized dip into the once-polluted Chicago River. As early as 1836, U. The story of the Chicago River is one that continues to unfold. It tells a complex and powerful story of Chicago's history and growth, industry and resourcefulness, and environmental progress. Chicago would go on to become the transportation hub of the United States During the 19th century Chicago s river harbor was a congested, polluted, and profitable maritime center. It stretches 156 miles (251 km) and has three main branches: North, Main, and South. Discover the key events, cultural milestones, and architectural innovations that have shaped this iconic city. So city Apr 5, 2025 · This is the story of the Chicago River, the river that flows backward, and a look into the strange world of US waterways that have defied expectations, geography, and even nature itself. ChicagoLoopBridges - Your source for information about Chicago's downtown bridges - touring, history, videos, and more. The history of commercial boating is seen in the development of vessels from the canoe to larger wooden boats, schooners, and ultimately steel ships driven by paddlewheel and then steam. evoid of raging rapids and waterfalls, the Chicago River in Illinois never offered much drama in its natural state, but its history contains plenty. It runs entirely within the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The Riverwalk, a popular tourist attraction, was once a bustling industrial area in the early 20th century. It was at once a great economic engine, an obstacle to business progress, a home for some, a job site for others, a haven for criminal activity, and the city s doorway to the world. It’s more than a race – it’s a tribute to Chicago’s environmental progress and a powerful fundraiser for ALS research and swim lessons for at-risk youth Mar 12, 2025 · Dyeing the Chicago River green for St. Its history is closely tied to the development of industry and transportation in the region. Learn Chicago River and bridges history and see the bridge gears at work. Patrick's Day, the Chicago River is one of the most significant rivers in the world. Yet its future was jeopardized by its own waste, which flowed – untreated – from the Chicago River into Lake Michigan, the city’s source of clean drinking water. The river was pivotal for travelers across the land, allowing easy trade and access for merchants and others to cross North America by connecting the East and West of what would become the early United States. May 4, 2024 · Flowing Backwards: The Revolutionary Reversal of the Chicago River and Its Lasting Legacy In the heart of the American Midwest lies one of the most remarkable feats of engineering in history—the reversal of the Chicago River. Most of the party were from Joliet and Lockport. Dec 19, 2019 · The bridges over the Chicago River are the city’s most iconic. Patrick's Day started with a simple idea hatched by two influential friends in the 1960s. Sep 27, 2025 · Chicago River, navigable stream that originally flowed into Lake Michigan after being formed by the north and south branches about 1 mile (1. It’s not lost on Kane and Westercamp that they are learning from the best. Sewage and waste was being dumped into the Chicago River and polluting Lake Michigan, the source of the city’s May 27, 2015 · The year 2015 marks the 115th anniversary of the Chicago River’s reversal, an incredible engineering feat that turned the Eastern half of the United States into an island. But there’s much more to our history than the heavy, steel bascule bridges. Chicago Riverwalk as seen from Upper Wacker Drive looking down at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial The Chicago Riverwalk is a multi-use public open space located on the south bank of the main branch of the Chicago River in Chicago, extending from Lake Michigan and the Outer Drive Bridge westward to the Wolf Point area and Lake Street. Today, the number of fish species found in the Chicago River has increased nearly ten-fold, from less than 10 to more than 70. Patrick's Day, or a river that flows backwards from its original mouth at Lake Michigan, or the cause of a 1992 flood in the Loop. Established in 1696 by Father Francois Pinet, a Jesuit priest, it was abandoned in 1700. HISTORY IN THE MAKING 🌊 After nearly a century… it’s official. It also includes built areas and connective systems such as the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the Sanitary and Ship Canal. 6 km) west of the lake, in Chicago, northeastern Illinois, U. Chicago’s first permanent non-indigenous resident was a trader named Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a free black man from Haiti whose father was a French sailor and whose mother was an African slave, he came here in the 1770s via the Mississippi River from New Orleans with his Native American wife, and their home stood at the mouth of the 1853 Bird's eye view of Chicago 1857 Bird's eye view of Chicago In 1848, the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal allowed shipping from the Great Lakes through Chicago to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Once a meandering marshy stream, the river first became an engineered channel to support the industrial transformation of the city. Patrick’s Day by dyeing the river bright green, with the color lasting for a couple of days. At the heart of the problem was the Chicago River itself, which carried waste toward the city, not away from it. [1] It is adjacent to the Magnificent Mile retail and tourism corridor. Through periods of industry, transportation, revitalization and recreation, it has grown and changed like the city itself. The first rail line to Chicago, the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, was completed the same year. [1] In total, 844 passengers and crew were killed in what was the largest loss of life from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes. The creek derives its name from the gases bubbling out of the riverbed from the decomposition of blood and entrails dumped into the river Sep 26, 2025 · On the day of the river swim, Kane and Westercamp, along with Shrestha and other UIC faculty and staff, Mayor Brandon Johnson and thousands of onlookers, watched with pride as swimmers finished the course and climbed out of the river, making Chicago history. [3] The tradition of dyeing the Jul 18, 2023 · Chicago is an American city famous for its culture, rich history, industry, monuments and water resources. Over 100 beautiful, archive-quality, color and B&W photographs of the Chicago River's history are published together with an entertaining and informative narrative text. Sewage and waste was being dumped into the Chicago River and polluting Lake Michigan, the source of the city’s drinking water. Jun 4, 2019 · Sources: Hill, Libby, The Chicago River: a natural and unnatural history – Southern Illinois University Press, 2016; Solzman, David M. This monumental project, initiated in the late 19th century, not only transformed the waterways of Chicago but also had a profound impact on public health, urban Explore the environmental impact of dyeing the Chicago River green for St. It’s just one part of the city’s festive celebrations. Illinois & Michigan Canal was built to connect the Chicago River to the Illinois River and down to the Mississippi River. Learn about the colorful history of the Chicago River. Early History of Chicago River pt. It was populated by a series of Native tribes who maintained villages in the forested areas near rivers. Read our blog post for more about the Mar 4, 2010 · The name Chicago may have come from a Miami Indian word for the wild leeks that grew on the bank of the short Chicago River. Proposing a river reversal is one challenge, but delivering it was an altogether different story of determination, and the MWRD followed through on that promise. Beginning with Father Jacques Marquette and French Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet in 1673, a steady stream of explorers and missionaries The Calumet River is a significant waterway system located in the Midwestern United States flowing through the states of Illinois and Indiana. The Chicago River is channelized, turning the sandbar into a navigable channel. Over the centuries the Miami, Sauk, Fox and Potawatomi tribes all lived Why does the Chicago River turn green, is the green dye safe and where can you see the green river today? Here's what to know! The Chicago River: A History in PhotographsWestcliffe Publishers is proud to announce the release of The Chicago River: A History in Photographs. The Chicago River is also noted for the local custom of dyeing it green on St. Aug 20, 2023 · The Chicago River has been an integral part of the city’s growth and a defining geographic feature. 2018 North Branch Dam at River Park is removed. History The river during nighttime In the 19th century through civil engineering, the flow of the river was reversed to head toward the Mississippi River basin, away from Lake Michigan. Since the late 1860s, city engineers had used pumps Eastland disaster, capsizing of the passenger liner SS Eastland on the Chicago River in Chicago on July 24, 1915. One of the legendary local rivers flows through the Jan 17, 2023 · Explore the rich history of Chicago, Illinois, from its early days as a frontier settlement to its rise as a global metropolis. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Chicago date Aug 23, 2021 · Still, throughout the 1980s, the Chicago river was quite dirty and often filled with garbage. 17, 1943 — on time — according to Encyclopedia of Chicago and the CTA. In Chicago River Chicago River The modern history of the Chicago River started a long time ago. The event, which claimed at least 844 lives, ranks as one of the worst maritime disasters in American history. Under the terms of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, the Oct 10, 2016 · The subway under the Chicago River was completed in Oct. Chicago lies at the center point between two massively important waterways, the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River – the aquatic crossroads of North America. Beginning in the 1850s on an informal basis, and in 1871 on a formal basis, Chicago flushed its wastewater into the Mississippi River drainage system by reversing the flow of Feb 6, 2025 · History of Dyeing the Chicago River Green While Chicago’s annual St. S. But as Chicago’s profile and population grew, a hidden killer was taking lives. This collective waterfront has been used for commerce, industry, and leisure Bubbly Creek is the nickname given to the South Fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River. In the late 1770s, Jean Baptiste Point DuSable (a familiar last name for many who live in Chicago!) became the first In the mid-to-late 1800s, a relatively new town called Chicago was rapidly growing, but it had a problem. The dye transforms the river into a vibrant green spectacle. Steele: In recent years, the Chicago River itself has undergone a renaissance, from a lifeless industrial waterway into a vibrant public asset, the head of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District writes. Prior to the 1770s, the area was primarily inhabited by native American Indians. 2 The river was the core of meatpacking and lumber industries In the 1870s waste was dumped into the Chicago river Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago(1889 and 1910) directd the flow of the river Metropolitan Chicago's expansive waterfront includes a portion of the shores of Lake Michigan and the banks of the Chicago, Des Plaines, Calumet, Fox and DuPage Rivers and their tributaries. Officials were left with no other option Chicago Portage National Historic Site Hablas Español? The Chicago Portage National Historic Site commemorates the place where the Kaskaskia, a tribe of the Illiniwek, showed 17th century French explorers Louis Jolliet and Father Jacques Marquette an ancient portage connecting the Great Lakes Basin and the Mississippi Valley watersheds, which overtime became the birthplace of Chicago. The river is also noteworthy for its natural and human-engineered history. More recently, the draft Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework1 released by several U. In the mid- to late-nineteenth century, Chicago was the fastest growing city in the world, according to historian Donald Miller. Patrick's Day. The river is also a part of a system that includes the North Branch, South Branch, and Main Stem of the Chicago River, as well as 52 miles of constructed waterways: the North Shore Jun 12, 2024 · Four sites along Chicago’s waterways reveal remnants of the river’s industrial past alongside restoration efforts that reveal its wild future. The Chicago River Swim is ON. This two hour kayak tour guides you from the early years of the city to the present as we paddle through the picturesque urban canyon of the downtown Chicago River. The Chicago River: An Illustrated History and Guide to the River and Its Waterways, University of Chicago Press, 2006; Industrial History blog; Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Icons by Icons8 View McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum exhibits online - The City of Bridges. Founded in 1833, this area was once a bustling hub for manufacturing, meatpacking, and warehousing, with goods flowing in and out via the nearby Chicago River. Chicago's unusual wastewater disposal history was conditioned by the location of the city at the juncture of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Native For six decades people have been visiting Chicago during St. Oct 15, 2024 · River West, one of Chicago’s most dynamic neighborhoods, has a rich history that traces back to the city’s early industrial days. Daley. Find Chicago boat rentals for St. Chicago Tribune, October 10, 1885 Yesterday morning a party of twenty men, guests of Singer and Talcott (Stone Company, 210 Market street), started from the foot of Franklin street, on the tug Mariel (US No. In many ways, you might even say that Chicago River history is the history of the city itself. The Chicago River stands at the intersection of urban planning, biodiversity, architectural majesty, recreation, transportation, clean water, and commerce. Bridges - Encyclopedia of Chicago Bridges Sep 17, 2025 · The study analyzed the species of fish that spawn in the Chicago River to sustain resilient and biodiverse fish communities. Instead of the Chicago River emptying into Lake Michigan, pumping stations would funnel water from Lake Michigan through the canal, thereby flushing Chicago’s waste down river and toward the Des Plaines and Mississippi Rivers. The frontier town quickly grew into the largest metropolis in the Midwest. Sep 23, 2025 · Chicago - History: Chicago’s critical location on the water route linking the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River shaped much of its early history. anb3 tujorr afn uujp91 oloj0kz ie4e63 opy 9xriy3u gyax kapvb