Between Morris and Joliet,Illinois,lies Channahon State Park. The name Channahon means joining of the waters and refers to the merging of the Des Plaines, Kankakee, and the DuPage Rivers to form the Illinois River. The state park contains along segment of the Illinois and Michigan Canal where it intersects the DuPage River. There is a dam here. Locks 6 and 7 of the canal were restored by the CCC during the depression. At the lock 6 site, there is a restored lock keeper’s house. The drive is well worth the time.
Canal Construction
The system used in construction of the Illinois Michigan Canal was one developed over the years in the construction of other canals in the United States and Canada.
The overall supervision of the canal was by a board. Beneath the board was a canal engineer. The engineer issued guild lines and inspected the work. The actual work was done by contractors. The individual contractors would bid for work on half mile sections of the canal and work on the locks. Generally, the bid accepted would be the cheapest.
The contractor would be required to purchase a bond assuring the work be done. In addition, the canal commission would hold back a certain percentage of payment to insure completion.
The contractor would hire workers and pay them wages and also provide for shelter and food.
Because of the small profit margin and the uncertainty of payment from the canal commission, many contractors, would fail to complete the work. Their laborers would suffer the most with lack of wages.
Canalers
Canalers was the generic name given to the men who did the bulk of the work on the canals in the 1700 and1800’s. The ethnic make up of these workers changed with time. Early on, they were slaves or indentures servants. With time, the majority were free men. They were low skilled workers. Many were immigrants. Wages were traditionally low. Due to the excess immigrant population,they were at the mercy of their bosses. They could not unionize or strike. Their work day was long. Their housing was substandard. They were not accepted by the local population of the area inwhich they worked.
Early history of the Illinois Valley
The Illinois Valley which is the region through which a large area of the Illinois Michigan Canal traverses has a long history. During the era of the glaciers, the Illinois Valley was the large drainage site for the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. This phenomenon occurred over multiple eras. The indigenous native population inhabited this site for thousands of years. There were a series of multiple tribes in this region. These native populations were predominately hunters. They were familiar with the geography of the area and the waterways. They were familiar with the courses of the Mississippi River, the Illinois River, and the Des Plaines River in their course towards Lake Michigan. This waterway was not complete and required a portage between the Des Plaines River and the Chicago River.
A brief history
The Illinois Michigan Canal was a waterway extending from the south branch of the Chicago River to the Illinois River at LaSalle. Cities and towns along the course of the canal include: Chicago, Willow Springs, Lemont, Romeoville, Lockport, Joliet, Channahan, Aux Sable, Morris, Marseilles, Seneca, Ottawa, Utica, and LaSalle. The length of the canal was approximately 96 miles. There were multiple locks along the course of the canal. There were also aqueducts at aux Sable, Fox River, Little Vermilion River and the Nettle Creek.
After multiple abortive attempts due to financial issues, work on the canal was begun in 1836. Work was completed in 1848.. The long time for construction was due in large part to financial issues with interruption of the work for years. The canal was dug by hand and use of explosives. Canal workers were of multiple nationalities such as Polish, German, and Irish. The bulk of the workers were Irish. Wages were approximately $1 day. Hours were long and work was difficult.
Welcome
I am a I and M canal nut. I have read multiple books on the subject. I have also visited multiple sites along the canal.
I am hoping to spread some of this enthusiasm to other readers.
Each posting will be on a different subject.
raddoc1947 