Heritage Village Lockport, Il Will County Historical Museum and Research Center.

/ canalman / Leave a comment

Wabash R.R. Terminal

     Heritage Village is located at 249 W. 2nd Street, Lockport, Il.  There is a collection of 19th Century Buildings.  These have been restored and saved from demolition.  The museum is adjacent to the old IIinois Michigan Canal.      Heritage Village’s predecessor was the  Frontier Village located in downtown Lockport.  Many of the old buildings in Heritage were also in Frontier.  Apparently, for financial regions the older museum closed in 2009.  The old buildings were put in storage.  The Heritage Village opened in 2012 with buildings from Frontier Village

Same as above

     This is a classic wood structure typical of 19th century railroad depots.  It was built in 1889.  It was located in the town of Symerton in Will county, IL.  It was along the Wabash, Saint Louis Rail Road.  It closed in 1975.      It was donated to the Will County Historical Society.  It was moved to Lockport to be part of Frontier Village.  The Village closed in 2009 and the train station was put in storage.  In 2012, it was relocated to the Heritage Village on Second street in Lockport.

Wells Corner School

Same as above.

         This school was built in 1856.   It was located in the Homer Glen area in Illinois near present day Cedar Road and Route 7. It was used by the Homer Congregationalist Church through 1957.  The building was moved to Lockport in 1980-1

Greenho Farmhouse

   This house was located in Crest Hill.  It was occupied by Andrew and Margaret Greenlo beginning in 1863. It was sold to many owners  since then including Gaskin and Gaylord Families.      The house was purchased from the EJ and E.  RR. and was moved to Lockport in 1985.

Mokena Calaboose

     The Mokena Calaboose was built in 1881. Construction costs were $125.  It was a short term detension facility.  There were two cells and a single pot belly stove. It was moved from Mokena in 1916. It was relocated to Lockport in 1973

Wilhelmi Family Smokehouse

     Exact construction date is unknown.  Was located on Wilhelmi family property for one hundred years.     The process of smoking preserved and flavored meat.  It also kept insects away.

Privy  Replica 

Brown Log Cabin

     This is a restoration project in progress.  This cabin was built in 1834 near the area that would be the Joliet Arsenal.  It was built by Peter and Mary Brown for their daughter and her husband.  It was sold to the Redermacher family who occupied house until 1940’s.      The house was moved to the Grundy County Fairgrounds where it stayed until 1972.  Cabin was offered to the Will County Historical Society.  It was moved in pieces to Lockport.  The society is seeking to rebuild and renovate the cabin.            

Visitors Center. Provides History of all On Site Buildings.  There is an exhibit detailing the immigrant experience of Mirjana Urulesku  during the building of the Illinois Michigan Camal

Plaque at the Heritage Village

North Shore Channel 

/ canalman / Leave a comment

     The North Shore Channel is a man made canal extending from Lake Michigan in Wilmette to the North Branch of the Chicago River at 5100 North and 3000 west using the Chicago numbering system.  This is at River Park.  At the proximal end, there is a sluice gate to prevent water from backing up into Lake Michigan.

Proximal End of North Channel in Wilmette

Same as above

North Shore Channel

Central Avenue Bridge over North Shore Channel Evanston

North Shore Channel Skokie

Same as above

Old junction North Shore Channel and North Branch Chicago River

New Junction Area

Niles Historical Museum and Cultural Center

/ canalman / Leave a comment

Niles Historical Museum and Cultural Center

     The Niles Historical Museum and Cultural Center is currently located at 8970 N. Milwaukee Avenue Niles.  It was previously located at the Trident Center on Oakton in Niles.  The current building was dedicated on October 25, 1986.

Same as above

     The current building served as the Cook County Sheriff’s Quarters from 1923 to 1984.

Building Cornerstone

Niles Historical Museum

Same as above

Building Entrance. Note Cook County Police Sign above the door

Statue from Bunker Hill Country Club Fountain.  The old golf course (closed in the 1950’s) is now Bunker Hill Forest Preserve and Estates.  The old club house was located at 6701 N. Milwaukee Avenue.   It was taken over by the VFW and it closed in the 1990’s.    Now at this site is Bunker Hill Club Condominiums

Bunker Hill Forest Preserve. This is the site of the former Bunker Hills Golf Course, Niles, Il

Same as above

Site of former Bunker Hills Golf Course

Same as above

Signage

Bridge over Chicago River

Chicago River Bunker Hill Forest Preserve

Chicago River

Concrete Foundation of uncertain origin

Same as above

Same as above

Bunker Hill Condos

Same as above

Former Site of Clubhouse Bunker Hill Country Club, Niles

Same as above

Same as above

Likely abandoned Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee R.R. Tracks, Skokie or Abandoned Skokie Subdivision Chicago and Northwestern

/ canalman / Leave a comment

Abandoned RR. Skokie

     The Skokie subdivision was a railroad bypass built in 1891 by the Chicago and Northwestern R.R. as an alternative to the freight route between Chicago and Milwaukee.  For a portion of its route it paralleled the tracks of North Shore Line.  Over the years, the  Skokie subdivision saw less use and poor maintenance.   It was about the same time 1963 that the North Shore Line sought to abandon its track.  The Northwestern purchased the better maintained North Shore line that parallel its route.  It connected to the North Shore at River Junction and Northbrook.  Portion of the original Skokie subdivision line was subsequently abandoned.

Image Abandoned RR.Line Skokie

     Freight traffic along the newly reconstruced line decreased.    It was downgraded to local use serving only a few businesses.  CNW ceased service along the line in 1995.  The Union Pacific (which merged with the Northwestern) filed for abandonment of the line in 2001.  Most of the track was removed in 2004-2005

     

Images Abandoned R. R. Line

Same as above

Same as above

Concrete support for bracket for overhead Wires

Abandoned Track Skokie

Abandoned R. R Track

Same as above

Same as above

Abandoned R. R tracks

Abandoned R. R. Tracks

Abandoned RR BedSkokie

Concrete Foundation

Abandoned RR Tracks

Same as above

Photos Taken 7/12/2021

Photos take 7/12/2021

Same as above

Same as above

Abandoned RR Track South of Gulf Ave., Skokie, Il.

Same as above

Same as above

Abandoned RR Line north of Old Orchard Rd. Skokie

Same as above

Abandoned RR Line north of Old Orchard Rd

Same as above


Same as above

Abandoned RR Line north of Old Orchard

Same as above

Abandoned RR Line north of Old Orchard Rd

I and M Canal Rewatering Project Ottawa, Il

/ canalman / Leave a comment

Picture of Ottawa I and M Canal during Re Watering Project

Canal in Ottawa, Il during rewatering project

Picture of Ottawa I and M Canal during Re Watering Project

The two traffic bridges in the watered segment are LaSalle Street and Columbus Street.

Same as above

Same as above

Same as above

Canal in Ottawa, Illinois before rewatering project

Same as above

Pictures of Completed Canal Re Watering Project Ottawa 7/08/2021

Re Watered Canal Ottawa, Il 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

View from Walking Path 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

One end of rewatering project at Guion Street 7/8/2021

Canal Boat and Canal

View of Rewarded Canal 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

Same as above; former site of Lateral Canal 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

Same as above 7/8/2021

Story dated July 13, 2021. Apparently, the rewatered section of the I and M in Ottawa, Il has hit a snag. There has been an overgrowth of cat tails and algae. There has also been compromise of the sump pump. This issue has got to the point that the canal has to been drained.

Rewatering Project. Note overgrowth of algae

Same as above

Rewatering Project Note overgrowth of Algae and Cattails

Rewatering Project Note overgrowth of Algae and Cattails

Rewatering Project Walkway under Bridge

Overgrowth of Algae and Cattails

Same as above

Walkway under Bridge

Same as above

End of Watered Section near Canal Street.

Same as above

Souvenir Mug Commemorating the Rewatering of the I and M Canal in Ottawa, Illinois

Morris Paper Mill Morris, Il

/ canalman / Leave a comment

Morris Fiber Board Company 1900

Allen Paper Car Wheel Co.

The earliest reference to a paper mill product plant in Morris was the Allen Paper Car Wheel Works 1881. Paper Car Wheels were composite of railway carriages. It was a steel rim bolted to an iron hub with an inter layer of laminated paper. They were able to damp rail/wheel noise resulting in a quiet and smooth ride. Unfortunately, over time, it was found that the wheels would fail faster than the all metal wheel.

     The Allen Paper Car Wheel Works operated until 1890. The plant in Morris subsequently was operated under many names during the next two decades including the Morris Box Board Company.

     In October, 1915, the company was reorganized under a new name Morris Paper Mills. The business flourished and by the 1920’s, it was one of the largest employers in the town of Morris. It produced cardboard boxes of various sizes and shapes. It shipped its products throughout the United States.

    In 1956, stockholders approved the merger of Morris Paper Mills with Federal Paper Board Company. The Morris plant was to operate as a division of Federal Paper Board. Federal produced paper and paper board products. The plant closed in 1980.

Federal Paper Board Building

  This area has been in the news lately due to a fire burning for days. Apparently, the abandoned building that in the past was Morris Fiber Board company and the Federal Paper Board Company was being used by a company called Superior Battery. They apparently had been storing thousand of lithium batteries unknown to officials of Morris, Illinois.

Fire Site in Morris

Same as above

Sole of fire in Morris, Illinois

Fire Site Morris, Illinois

Same as above

Same as above