The I&M Canal Promotes Culture and Heritage in LaSalle, Illinois

Opened in 1848 to connect the Illinois River to Lake Michigan, the Illinois & Michigan Canal, better known as the I&M Canal, was the final link needed for the all-water route running from the East Coast through the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Travel and transportation boomed thanks to the canal communities along the way, like Chicago, becoming major hubs.

In 1984, Congress designated it the I&M Canal National Heritage Area – a first of its kind – to promote economic development, culture, heritage and stories about the region and community. Now, visitors can enjoy the flowing history of this area with a 1-mile canal boat tour featuring period attire and skits detailing the history of the canal, bike and walking trails, a junior ranger program and a steel silhouettes tour with odes to those who shaped the area. The canal also has several special events for its 175th anniversary.

For the latest updates on events and other offerings or to purchase tickets, visitiandmcanal.org.

See more: New Philadelphia National Historic Site Honors a Frontier of Freedom