I&M Canal National Heritage Area

I&M Canal National Heritage Area The Area encompasses 862 sq. miles, five counties, and 57 communities.

The Canal Corridor Association is designated by Congress as the local coordinating entity for the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area, the America’s first national heritage area. The I&M Canal National Heritage Area was the first of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. The Canal Corridor Association is the local c

oordinating entity for the IMCNHA, but it is the Canal Alliance that works to achieve the vision, mission, and goals of the national heritage corridor.

⏳ Time is running out to join the American Discovery Trail 250 Relay!Our registration closes Friday, September 11—so sig...
09/04/2026

⏳ Time is running out to join the American Discovery Trail 250 Relay!

Our registration closes Friday, September 11—so sign up today to be part of this historic event.

Celebrating America’s 250th birthday, the relay is carrying a copy of the Declaration of Independence from California to Delaware along the American Discovery Trail.

The relay will travel through the I&M Canal National Heritage Area along the I&M Canal Trail:

🥾 Friday, October 9: La Salle to Ottawa
🥾 Saturday, October 10: Ottawa to Joliet

We are coordinating baton carriers for the October 9 route, along with volunteers, rest stations, sponsors and cheerleaders throughout both days.

All ages and abilities are welcome. Whether you carry the baton for a distance, participate in a simple baton handoff, volunteer at a rest station or cheer on the relay, there’s a way for you to be part of the experience.

👉 SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/IMADT250Relay
👉 Learn more: https://bit.ly/IMRelayFAQ

Shown: The relay in Virginia City, NV.

Today marks a major milestone: 30 years ago, Ana Koval—who today is our President & CEO—joined the Canal Corridor Associ...
09/03/2026

Today marks a major milestone: 30 years ago, Ana Koval—who today is our President & CEO—joined the Canal Corridor Association!

When Ana started in 1996, she joined a team that was planning a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the opening of the I&M Canal. That celebration included an exhibit and “Prairie Passage,” a book featuring photographs by Edward Ranney and text by Emily J. Harris.

This photo was taken 10 years later at an event celebrating the success of the book. It’s a fitting reminder of the countless projects, partnerships, milestones and memories that have filled Ana’s three decades with the Canal Corridor Association.

Today, Ana continues to lead our work to preserve and share the stories of the I&M Canal and strengthen the communities throughout the National Heritage Area.

Please join us in congratulating Ana on 30 remarkable years—and wishing her many more milestones ahead!

Shown from left to right: Emily J. Harris, Jerry Adelmann, Ed Ranney, Bernard Mixon as Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, and Ana Koval.

The Norsk Museum has just the right touch of Hutch. 🚘 🚨Born in Chicago to a family of Norwegian descent, David Soul (ak...
09/02/2026

The Norsk Museum has just the right touch of Hutch. 🚘 🚨

Born in Chicago to a family of Norwegian descent, David Soul (aka Detective Kenneth Richard "Hutch" Hutchinson of Starsky & Hutch), whose birthday was last week, has a tribute in this regional museum.

Located in Norway, IL (the nation’s first permanent Norwegian settlement) and in a former Norwegian Lutheran Church (the oldest in the U.S.), the Norsk Museum is all things Norwegian–from the history of pioneer life to Vikings to first settler Cleng Peerson to, well, Hutch.

What’s your favorite find in the museum?

While you're there, pick up a La Salle County History Passport–a guide to sights in the county–and get it stamped. Then visit the the guidebook's other sites (12 total), and get it stamped at those. When completed, send the book in, and you'll be eligible to win our monthly drawings running through 2027.

The other participating locations are:
• I&M Canal Visitor Center
• I&M Canal Boat
• 1st Lincoln Douglas Debate Site (at Ottawa Illinois Visitors Center)
• Hegeler Carus Mansion
• Illinois Waterway Visitor Center
• LaSalle County Historical Society Museum
• Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum
• Reddick Mansion Association
• Seneca Area Heritage Museum (Seneca Historical Guild)
• Seattle Sutton Marseilles Museum
• Westclox Museum

Once you have at least 10 stamps, send your passports to:
Canal Corridor Association
Attn: Passports,
754 First St., LaSalle, IL 61301

Passports can be sent in now through 2027 (must be postmarked by 12.31.27).

210 years ago this week, a treaty helped pave the way for the future I&M Canal—but at a profound cost to the Native peop...
08/27/2026

210 years ago this week, a treaty helped pave the way for the future I&M Canal—but at a profound cost to the Native peoples of the region.

On August 24, 1816, the United States signed the “Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Limits…” with the Ottawa, Chippewa and Potawatomi having determined that the best way to build a "friendship" with the tribes in the region was to set boundaries.

In this case, literal boundaries.

The U.S. negotiated a treaty in which fourteen tribal leaders collectively gave up the rights to one of the most important pieces of land in the entire Midwest. This land (marked "78" on the map) would in 1848 become the site of the I&M Canal, which connected the Illinois River and Lake Michigan and was the final piece needed for an inland water route that ran from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico.

To understand the full impact of this and other interrelated treaties and how they changed the face of the U.S. to the benefit of Anglo settlers and the lasting detriment of Native American tribes, check out our Substack article at link in bio or by going here: https://bit.ly/IMBoundaries

08/24/2026

In his own words: Hear what President Reagan said when he signed the bill establishing the nation’s first National Heritage Area.

On August 24, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation establishing the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor—the first in the United States.

It introduced a new approach to preserving nationally significant places—one built on partnerships, communities and the idea that preservation and economic development could go hand in hand.

42 years later, that model still guides our efforts.

Courtesy of the Reagan Library

Alliance of National Heritage Areas

TODAY'S THE DAY! ✒️📖Join us at 1 pm at the I&M Canal Visitor Center for a special afternoon with acclaimed artist, illus...
08/23/2026

TODAY'S THE DAY! ✒️📖

Join us at 1 pm at the I&M Canal Visitor Center for a special afternoon with acclaimed artist, illustrator and author Tom Willcockson.

Get a behind-the-scenes perspective on our new History of the I&M Canal exhibit as Tom reveals the research and creative process behind its 18 original illustrated panels. He’ll also share stories from writing and illustrating Passage to Chicago, answer your questions and sign books following the program.

Have a copy of Passage to Chicago? Bring it along! Or purchase one at the Visitor Center and have Tom sign it today.

🕐 TODAY | 1 pm
📍 I&M Canal Visitor Center | 754 First Street, La Salle
🎟️ FREE • All ages welcome • Donations appreciated

See you this afternoon!

🔗 https://iandmcanal.org/events/tomwillcockson

Maybe this time Lincoln will win. 🎩⚖️On August 21, 1858—168 years ago today—Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Senator Stephen A. ...
08/21/2026

Maybe this time Lincoln will win. 🎩⚖️

On August 21, 1858—168 years ago today—Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas faced off in Ottawa’s Washington Square for the first of their seven historic debates.

Lincoln, a former congressman and Republican challenger, was trying to unseat Douglas, the powerful Democratic senator from Illinois. At the center of their contest—and the debates—was the issue dividing the nation: slavery and, particularly, whether it should be allowed to expand into U.S. territories.

Thousands packed Washington Square to hear the two men argue their positions. And when it was over, who won depended largely on whom you asked. Supporters on both sides claimed victory.

Lincoln's supporters were enthusiastic enough to hoist him onto their shoulders and carry him from the square. Douglas reportedly had his own interpretation of the scene, joking that he had beaten Lincoln so badly they had to carry him off the stage.

Douglas would ultimately win the contest and retain his U.S. Senate seat. But the debates propelled Lincoln onto the national stage—and just two years later, he defeated Douglas and two other candidates in a much bigger contest: the 1860 presidential election.

**Tomorrow, the debate returns to Washington Square**

Head to Downtown Ottawa on Saturday, August 22 at 4 pm for a re-enactment of that first Lincoln-Douglas Debate, held on the very grounds where Lincoln and Douglas originally faced off.

The re-enactment is part of Debate Days, a weeklong celebration featuring historic programs and tours, live music, carriage rides, an old-fashioned ice cream social, the Great Taste Debate and more.

📅 Debate re-enactment: Saturday, August 22 | 4 pm
📍 Washington Square | Downtown Ottawa, Illinois
🔗 See the full Debate Days schedule: https://bit.ly/IMDebateDays2026

Ottawa Visitors Center The Middle of Everywhere

Set your plans for Sunday! Spend an afternoon exploring the I&M Canal—and the art and stories that bring its history to ...
08/21/2026

Set your plans for Sunday! Spend an afternoon exploring the I&M Canal—and the art and stories that bring its history to life.

🍽️ Start with lunch at the Lock 16 Café.
🎨 Explore our new 18-panel History of the I&M Canal exhibit.
✒️ Then, at 1 pm, join acclaimed artist, illustrator and author Tom Willcockson for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at his work.

Tom will share how he researched and created the original illustrations for the exhibit, discuss writing and illustrating Passage to Chicago, answer audience questions and sign books following the program.

Come for lunch. Explore the exhibit. Stay for the stories behind the art!

🗓️ Sunday, August 23 | 1 pm
📍 I&M Canal Visitor Center | 754 First Street, La Salle
🎟️ FREE • All ages welcome • Donations appreciated

Please RSVP to [email protected] to help us plan for attendance.

🔗 https://iandmcanal.org/events/tomwillcockson

Joining us Sunday will take a lot less effort. 😉This illustration from Tom Willcockson’s Passage to Chicago shows just h...
08/19/2026

Joining us Sunday will take a lot less effort. 😉

This illustration from Tom Willcockson’s Passage to Chicago shows just how much work went into loading an I&M Canal boat—carefully packing barrels, sacks of grain, wool, stoneware and other cargo to make the most of every inch of space.

See more of Tom’s work—and discover the research and creative process behind it—this Sunday at the I&M Canal Visitor Center.

Tom will give a behind-the-scenes look at the original illustratations he created for our new 18-panel History of the I&M Canal exhibit, discuss writing and illustrating Passage to Chicago, answer questions and sign books following the presentation.

📅 Sunday, August 23 | 1 pm
📍 I&M Canal Visitor Center | 754 First Street, La Salle
🎟️ FREE (donations appreciated)

Please RSVP to [email protected] so we have an idea of attendance.

🔗 https://iandmcanal.org/events/tomwillcockson

18 illustrated panels. Centuries of history. 🎨SEE our new exhibit at the I&M Canal Visitor Center: The History of the I&...
08/14/2026

18 illustrated panels. Centuries of history. 🎨

SEE our new exhibit at the I&M Canal Visitor Center: The History of the I&M Canal. From the Native Peoples who first called this region home and the French explorers who traveled its waterways to the building of the canal and the communities, industries and innovations it helped shape, the exhibit tells the larger story of the people, places and events that made this region what it is today.

Even more, DISCOVER how it was created when acclaimed artist, illustrator and author Tom Willcockson joins us on Sunday, August 23 at 1 pm for a special presentation in which he'll give behind-the-scenes insights into his research and illustration process. He’ll also discuss his book Passage to Chicago, answer audience questions and sign books following the discussion.

📅 Sunday, August 23 | 1 pm
📍 I&M Canal Visitor Center | 754 First Street, La Salle
🎟️ FREE (donations appreciated)

Please RSVP to [email protected] so we have an idea of attendance.

🔗 Learn more: https://iandmcanal.org/events/tomwillcockson

Address

754 1st Street
La Salle, IL
61301

Telephone

+18152201848

Website

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