Experience The I&M Canal In Starved Rock Country

To commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and the enormous impact it’s had on the region, state and nation, Governor JB Pritzker has declared April 2023 the official month of the I&M Canal. To celebrate this enormous milestone, we’re taking a look at some of the great family-friendly museums and attractions relating to the historic I&M Canal in Starved Rock Country.

Become a Junior Ranger of the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area (IMCNHA). The IMCNHA is part of the fan-favorite National Park Service Junior Ranger program. Guests (ages 5 to 95) can earn an official Junior Ranger badge by simply completing a free activity in the book at the I&M Canal Visitor Center (754 First Street, LaSalle, 61301). At this convenient downtown LaSalle location, just a short walk away from the canal it’s self, you can pick up a complementary Jr. Ranger book and return the completed activity for a commemorative badge. In addition, there are select days and locations along the IMCNHA, including special anniversary year events, where guests can attend a Jr. Ranger Day - where they can complete a workbook with the help of a real National Park Service Ranger. Check iandmcanal.org for dates and details.

Ottawa’s tollhouse is a remarkable relic of the I&M Canal boom, a surviving original structure filled with recovered items and fascinating displays about the waterway’s storied history in a compact one-room footprint. Located conveniently in the heart of Ottawa’s downtown, right along the I&M towpath, you’ll find this immaculate looking 175 year old museum. A group of dedicated volunteers turned this husk of a building into a painstakingly researched approximation of what the canal collector’s toll house would have looked like back in 1848. This miniature 16′x24′ museum is filled with interesting artifacts that give color to the daily lives of the canal toll collectors. On a shelf you’ll find a bugle and a conch shell, both were used by boat captains to wake up the sleeping collector, who’s rope bed was located in southwest corner of the building. In 2009, a full sized replica canal boat, previously featured in the film “Prairie Tides”, was moved to the site. The barge is lined with boxes and crates symbolizing the 150+ tons of cargo these boats hauled along the canal. For more information, visit pickusottawail.com/attractions/im-canal-toll-house/

Within the LaSalle County Historical Society Complex is the 1865 Aitken One Room Schoolhouse, originally established as District One in Troy Grove Township, home of “Wild Bill” Hickok. Since 1990, the society has been providing a 4th Grade School Program for local school children to experience what life was like at a one-room schoolhouse. Families can enjoy our look back at 19th century school from mid-April through mid- October during open museum hours. On the right side of the school is the herb garden, containing herbs and flowers native to Illinois. Many of the exhibits within our other buildings are of interest to families, including the Radium Dial Girls. lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org, 101 E Canal St, North Utica, 61373

I&M Canal Boat, operated by the IMCNHA, is an astounding piece of historical recreation and one of the most memorable attractions you’ll find in Starved Rock Country. This 76-foot boat is the first on the canal in over 70 years, but the star of the show for adults and kids alike is Moe the Mule, who pulls the boat and passengers down the canal for a brief glimpse of what canal travel was like in 1848, when Chicago was the western frontier. The ride is about an hour long, enough to learn the canal’s history from an expert guide, but not overly long for the kids. You are allowed to walk around the boat, sit in the cabin, or explore the upper deck. Catch a view of turtles sunning themselves on the rocks, while birds, fish, and other animals make frequent appearances. Kids can become a Jr. Captain and visit the stern of the boat to see the rudder in action. Tickets are required, iandmcanal.org, 754 First Street, LaSalle, 61301

The I&M Canal National Heritage Area will be hosting a variety of special events throughout the year celebrating the canal and it’s lasting legacy, in honor of it’s 175th Anniversary. For more information on the year-long celebration honoring this legendary waterway, be sure to follow the I&M Canal National Heritage Area on Facebook (facebook.com/iandmcanal) and visit iandmcanal.org