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Outdoors on a Shoestring A 19th century cut in the northern Illinois prairie provides Illinoisans with a unique recreation area and a living window to the past. By Gary Thomas The idea of creating a canal connecting the Mississippi River to the upper Illinois River dates back to the 1600s when Marquette and Jolliet explored the land that would one day become Illinois. They observed the wonderful waterways and commented how a few well-placed canals could connect the mighty rivers with the Great Lakes. Though nothing came of these explorers' idea, it was not forgotten. Two hundred years later a canal was constructed connecting the Illinois River at Hennepin with the Mississippi River at Rock Island. Though never a commercial success, the canal operated for nearly 50 years, closing in 1951. After two decades of deterioration, the land was turned over to the Department of Conservation (now the Department of Natural Resources), and developed into a unique outdoor recreation area and a historical treasure. That's the thumbnail history of the Hennepin Canal, but there's so much more to the story—a story that continues even today. Let's start with the history.
Historically Speaking The idea for constructing a Canal to connect the great rivers resurfaced in 1834. Illinois was by then a state, and legislators saw how the Erie Canal connected the eastern seaboard to the Great Lakes and benefitted states east of Illinois by creating an easy way to get crops and manufactured goods to trade centers. Hauling goods by wagon was slow and costly, and while railroads were becoming increasingly popular, their cartage fees were too high for most farmers. Lawmakers saw water transportation as the key to opening the Midwest. The Illinois and Michigan Canal opened in 1848, connecting the Illinois River to Lake Michigan. Illinois then needed a canal to connect the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to make it even easier to get goods to market. Prairie State lawmakers were joined in their canal crusade by Iowa and Minnesota interests, who realized their states would also benefit from such a connection. To help emphasize the magnitude and importance of such a link, they changed the name of the proposed canal from Hennepin to the Illinois and Mississippi Canal. Agricultural interests eventually put sufficient pressure on Congress, and plans for the canal were drawn up in 1888. The canal would run from the great bend of the Illinois River, just above the town of Hennepin, to the Mississippi River at the mouth of the Rock River, with a feeder canal running north to the Rock River at Rock Falls, creating a canal shaped like an inverted capital T. Construction of the 104-mile-long canal got underway in 1890, and workers completed the canal in 1907, reducing the river miles from Chicago to Rock Island by 419 miles (from 607 miles to 188 miles). The U.S. Steamer "Marion" made the first trip through the Illinois and Mississippi Canal in November 1907. Towns along the canal closed their schools so the children could watch the boat pass. Unfortunately, the canal was a prime example of too little, too late. By the time it was completed, the size of river barges had increased, so many of the newer boats wouldn't fit through the new canal. In addition, the cost of shipping by rail had decreased significantly, and there was a decline in river transportation. Plus a new means of transportation-the motorized truck-was beginning to gain in popularity. As a result, the Hennepin Canal never achieved its full potential, enjoying only moderate traffic from the beginning.
While usage of the canal was disappointing, it was responsible for a number of innovations. In fact, some of the building techniques developed here were used during construction of the Panama Canal. It was the first American canal built of concrete without stone cut facings. Unique to the site were 14 locks having Marshall gates, which raised and lowered on horizontal axis. The canal's own telephone system reported the progress of boats as they moved through the locks. The telephone poles (and also the poles for the fence running the length of the canal) were made of concrete, and were poured on site. Both are still in place, and you can still see the "U.S." stamped into them, designating them as Federal property. Passage through the canal was free (workers harvested and sold ice from the canal during winter months to help offset canal maintenance), but by the 1930s most of the boat traffic was of a recreational nature. The canal closed altogether in 1951. Because of its historical importance, the canal was considered for a national or state park, but the cost of rehabilitating the structure was so great no one wanted to take on the project. The Corps of Engineers began modifying and repairing the canal for recreational purposes in 1961, and the State of Illinois assumed ownership of the structure in August 1970, officially renaming it the Hennepin Canal Parkway. While many thought the canal would be a white elephant, it has come to be one of the state's finest-and most unique-recreational areas. March 2000 9
Hennepin Canal Parkway At 104 miles in length, the Hennepin Canal Parkway is one of the longest parks in the country. It's also one of the last of the small canals to be built, and one of the best preserved small canals. The park is often called the "shoestring" park, because it is so long and narrow. The site is only about 100 yards wide at its narrowest point, and about a half-mile wide at its widest. The canal itself is quite uniform at about 80 feet wide, though it does have wider areas where it passes through natural cuts and where it was widened to allow barges to pass one another. When constructed, the Hennepin featured 33 locks and dams, 32 of which are still visible. Five of the locks are restored to working condition, though they are not used. Those remaining have been replaced with concrete walls, creating a series of small waterfalls. Originally, the canal had nine aqueducts to carry the water over creeks and small streams. Six of these aqueducts are still in working order. The canal was constructed through rolling prairie on the east and north, and through a major wetland-the Winnebago marsh-on the west. The park also features both planted and restored prairie areas, a peat bog, wetlands and marshes. It's a unique recreation area that attracts an estimated 800,000 visitors annually. "Actually we don't know how many visitors visit the site each year," said Site Superintendent Steve Moser. "There are so many different recreation areas that we can't keep track of the numbers. And we can't just put a counter across the roads, because the general public uses a number of the bridges and roads that cross the site." The size of the park also presents a challenge. "With 150 miles of towpath, mowing takes place continuously throughout the summer months," Moser said. "This keeps two employees working at it full time." Picnic areas with grills are scattered throughout the linear park, plus there are three shelters available for group gatherings near the Visitor Center. The site's only playground is also located there. There are 11 designated primitive camping areas. All of them have pit toilets and two have water. None of the camping areas have electricity, showers or dump stations. The cost to camp is $7 per night. There also are Youth Group areas with reduced rates for scouts and other organizations. How long does it take to see the Hennepin Canal? "You can drive the entire canal in just one day, or spend a couple of hours and visit a couple of the historical areas," Moser said. "But if you want to really explore the site, I'd say it would take three good days, and you can spend a week here without seeing the entire area." Visitor Center If there is one "must stop" area on the canal, it is the visitor center. Located off Route 40 near Sheffield, the center features numerous photographs of the canal under construction and during its working days. There also are exhibits showing how the locks and aqueducts worked, tools used to construct and keep the canal in working order, a 13-minute video outlining the canal's history and exhibits featuring wildlife found at the park.
The park's full-time interpreter is located at the visitor center. She is available for both on-site and offsite programs to schools and other groups regarding life on the canal, life in the area after European settlement began, prairies, wildlife and other subjects. The center currently features a series of paintings by self-taught artist Carl Frederick Hart. A resident of Arlington Heights, Hart grew up "just a few feet" from lock 2 in Bureau Junction, and enjoyed swimming, fishing, ice skating, boating and canoeing on the canal as a youngster. His exhibit includes a series of paintings of life on the canal painted from memory. The oil paintings will be on exhibit until later this spring. Just outside the center are picnic tables, shelters and playground equipment, plus a half-acre wild flower prairie, and a winding 4 1/2-mile nature trail. Although the center is centrally located near where the feeder canal enters the main canal, a visitor still can be in the park but almost 60 miles from the visitor center. To offset this, extensive signage has been constructed at 22 recreational stops.
Winter Park Activities If you're looking for winter fun, the Hennepin Canal Parkway is a good place to go. "We offer ice fishing, crosscountry skiing, snowmobiling when there is a proper snow base, ice skating, plus limited dove and waterfowl hunting," Moser said. The park features the longest snowmobile trail in the state-78 miles of the towpath. Snowmobilers can also use the canal itself, but they do so at their own risk. Moser said snowmobilers should keep in mind that the canal features a slow current that can weaken the ice. He also advised caution near locks, bridges and culvert areas. Ice skaters are welcome throughout the canal. Moser pointed out that pick-up games of hockey are popular near Geneseo during the winter months. Cross-country skiiers can also use the towpath or the 4 1/2-mile trail near the Visitor Center. "Winter wildlife watching is also popular here," Moser said. "We've developed numerous wildlife food plots and leave some farm crops standing, so it's not unusual to see several dozen deer on a short drive through the park. There also are pheasant, quail, rabbits, wild turkeys, badgers, a few bobcats, foxes, coyotes, river otters and all kinds of birds on the site, including eagles on the western side of the park."
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Summer Fun Summer brings recreationalists to the Hennepin Canal. Many are there for the history-to see the locks, bridges, aqueducts and lock tender houses. But that's just a small part of the activity. The canal abounds with active recreation. Fishing—The most popular activity is fishing. Because the Hennepin Canal is fed by the Rock River, all species of fish found in the Rock will be found in the canal. These include bass, sunfish, pike, walleye, sauger, crappie and catfish. "Fishing is good on the canal and what makes it really nice is you don't need a boat," Moser said. "Most of the canal is accessible from shore. You can cast from one side to the other or just move to the other side." If you prefer to use a boat, you're restricted to 10 h.p. motors. There are 11 concrete boat launching ramps scattered throughout the area, Moser said a lot of anglers also bring small car top boats with trolling motors. They can be launched from about any bridge area (and there are 70 to choose from). Bow fishermen are allowed to take carp and buffalo from the canal from May 1 through Sept. 30 each year.
Canoeing—There is a great deal of canoeing on the canal-some of it by anglers and some by those who just like to paddle. Moser said the Hennepin is a great facility for family canoeing, because there isn't much current, the water isn't very deep and the shoreline is always close. "This definitely isn't whitewater," Moser said. "There is very little flow through the canal, so if you bring your canoe, plan to do a lot of paddling. Moser recommends the feeder or west end of the canal for canoeing. Both provide long stretches of open water. The east end of the canal is very scenic, but there are a lot of locks located close to one another which necessitate numerous portages. Moser discourages canoeing between bridge 14 and bridge 12, which is part of a shallow peat bog. There is no concession at Hennepin Canal Parkway, but canoe rental is available nearby,
Hiking, Biking and Jogging—A towpath was constructed when the canal was built, but from the time of planning to the time when construction was complete, canal traffic switched to powered vessels, so
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it was never used. Today, the towpath provides 155 miles of trail for hikers, joggers and bikers.
