RVer's travel from one location to another by sharing the highway with trucks, cars and other vehicles. Long before there were interstate highways, people and products were moved from one urban area to another using a different type of commerce corridor – canals.
One of these historic canals is located in Illinois and offers visitors a unique experience via the mule-pulled boat rides up and down the canal. The Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal boat operates six months of the year, from the end of April to the end of October. Attention to detail is the key to giving visitors a time-travel experience back to the mid-1800s.
“The Canal Corridor Association uses mules because, historically, horses or mules pulled the boats,” said Ana B. Koval, President and CEO of the Canal Corridor Association. “Horses were used traditionally for the passenger or packet boats and mule teams for the heavier cargo-laden boats.
“We use mules because they are strong, smart, and don’t mind standing around between rides,” she continued. “Larry and Moe are our mules, they work one at a time, and takes turns working. We start each ride with a mule talk about the mules. They are the stars of the show!”
According to the information used by docents to deliver a fact-filled canal boat experience, when the canal opened in 1848, it was progress and impacted trade and travel for the nation as well as for the region. The canal connected Lake Michigan to the Mississippi via the Illinois River. It also contributed to a water route from New York to New Orleans. Opening 23 years after the Erie Canal, it would be the last canal system constructed in the 19th century.
“Our tours make learning history and better understanding where we live or visit come alive,” Koval said. “It is easy to imagine a little bit of what life was like for our forefathers. Our boat crew is dressed in period clothes and narrate the rides with interesting stories about the times of the canal’s heydays.”
Shot of bride and groom from wedding ceremony that took place on the Canal Boat [Photo/IMCNHA]
The visitor learns about the history of canal and northern Illinois from a time when Chicago was the western frontier, Koval explained. Tour highlights include stories about the building of the canal, the people who built and rode on it, and the cargo that was shipped.
This cargo included grain from the Midwest shipped to Chicago as well as cattle and hogs. This led the way for Chicago becoming a meat-packing center. The population of Chicago surged in the mid to late 1800s partly because of the improved trade access to points beyond, according to the tour information.
Work on the canal began in 1836. Dug mostly by hand by up to 2,000 Irish, Norwegian, German and French Canadian immigrants, it took 12 years to complete. This was backbreaking labor done by brawny men, using shovels, wooden scoops and wheelbarrows. Workers earned one dollar per day, with a 12-14 hour work shift, with 1,000 men dying from accidents, disease and poor living conditions.
The arrival of railroads impacted the use of the canal. In its time, thousands of passengers and millions of tons of cargo traversed the canal, according to tour narrative.
The canal was made into a state park in the 1950s and then designated as the first National Heritage area on August 24, 1984 by President Ronald Reagan.
Just like the original time table, the canal boat operates from April to October. This was the same window of operation the original canal used to compensate for the cold Illinois winters. At only six feet deep, the water in the canal frequently froze solid, making travel and shipping impossible.
“We operate most days within that time period but not every day,” Koval said. “It is best to check our schedule on our website. If you press the book a boat tour button on the website and pick the month you want you can find our schedule. There are multiple rides every day the boat runs, but the times change, so please check the schedule.”
The Canal Corridor Association, a non-profit organization, started offering boat tours in 2008. It is charged with “the preservation and promotion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area (IMCNHA), the first national heritage area in America,” and is responsible for the boat tours and the Illinois & Michigan Canal Visitor Center.
Parking on site can easily accommodate RVs. While there is no on-site camping, there are several campgrounds within a 15-minute drive, Koval said.
LaSalle, Illinois is also home to Starved Rock State Park. Numerous biking and hiking trails are found in the area as well as the opportunity to explore canal towns.
Those who sign up to take a canal tour should expect to dress for the weather.
“The boat has an enclosed cabin and an open air upper deck,” Koval said. “We operate in almost all weather.”
The tour takes between 60-90 minutes and is slow paced. Mules pull the boat at about 2-4 miles per hour.
“Kids can check out the turtles, fish, birds, and other wildlife,” Koval suggested.
The boat is accessible to all but motorized wheelchairs, and parking is nearby and free. The visitor center is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays. It includes restrooms, visitor information, free Wi-Fi, a café and a gift shop.
Tickets available online at iandmcanal.org or in the I&M Canal Visitor Center - 754 First Street, LaSalle, IL 61301. The tour price is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (65 and up), $8 for children (16 and under), and free for children 3 and under. Boats generally depart at 10 a.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. n Sundays, 1p.m. and 3 p.m. The organization also offers specialty trips geared for adults.