History of the Chicago River

by Adam Carter

"This neighborhood guide gives both the local residents as well as out of town tourists a one-stop website for everything that is Chicago." C. Bupp, Chicago

The winding waterway known as the Chicago River has been a storied centerpiece of the Windy City. Many years of enjoyment and prosperous use have been highlighted by some remarkable events, including a few tragedies. Unquestionably, the river has played a major role in the evolution of the city.
 
The first non-native settler of Chicago was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. He built his farm on the northern bank of the Chicago River in the late 1700s. A few years later, Fort Dearborn was built on the southern bank, thus beginning Chicago's development. Soon, the city's population blossomed and the industrial economy thrived. However, the pollution and sewage produced by the booming city was drained into the Chicago River, which flowed into Lake Michigan. (The city's all-purpose water, including drinking water, has always come from Lake Michigan.) By the end of the 19th century, the tarnished water was causing cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery at an astounding rate, killing as much as 6% of the city's population. In 1900, as a matter of obligation, the city underwent an amazing feat of engineering and reversed the flow of the river.
 

The 28-mile Sanitary and Ship Canal was built in the southern side of the south branch of the river, extending down to Lockport. Using a series of locks, the current was reversed and the waste was sent through the canal to the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers and down to the Mississippi. In 1910 and 1920, two more westward flowing rivers were built (the North Shore and Cal-Sag channels, respectively) to accommodate areas of the city unaffected by the main channel's modification.

Even up until the 1980s, the river was dirty and often garbage-filled, causing many Chicagoans to refer to it as "The Stinking River." In the 1990s, however, Mayor Richard M. Daley assigned cleaning crews to it in an effort of beautification.

Causing skepticism in some and delight in others, the river has been dyed green every St. Patrick's Day since the early 1960s by a pipefitters union. Walk by it in broad daylight any other time of the year and the river is a dark green, prompting the famous line from the movie, "The Fugitive," "You'd think they could dye it blue the rest of the year."

The river, organically, was only about 2 feet deep in most areas, but to accommodate vessels, such as the excursion boat Eastland, it was dug to 20-26 feet in the deepest parts. In 1915, Eastland rolled over at the Clark Street bridge killing 812 passengers.

Today, the river is 156 miles long and is home to many of man's lively friends, including carp, goldfish, bullhead, darters, bass, birds of many breeds, muskrat, beaver and even mink. Tours are given on small passenger ships and the water enthusiast can even take out a canoe in several areas. Fifty-two movable bridges are scattered over the river, the most of any city in the world.
 
 
 Article by Adam Carter