Heritage with a Twist: Exploring the I&M Canal Heritage Corridor

Who wouldn't love to spend their days learning and telling others about all the great things there are to see and do in this scenic and historic area we live in, known as the Illinois & Michigan (I&M) Canal Heritage Corridor? That's exactly what we do at the Heritage Corridor Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).

Having been born and raised in the area, I have to admit that the I&M Canal section of the National Heritage Corridor really has my heart. This historic region has beckoned to travelers and trailblazers from long-ago immigrants to present-day thrill seekers with its rich heritage, amazing natural beauty and wide range of recreational opportunities.

Visitors to our area are often amazed that such an area exists just an easy drive outside of Chicago, the nation's third largest city. As locals, it's easy for us to sometimes take for granted the wealth of natural resources and history we have right outside our doors.

That's why I'm inviting you to join me on a weekly blog journey of this region's past and present as it stretches from the Chicago Portage area, where explorers first discovered the shortcut that would later become the Illinois & Michigan (I&M) Canal, to the scenic country roads of Putnam County.

Over the next several weeks, we will explore all six areas in the I&M Canal Heritage Corridor: Chicago Portage/Southern Cook County; Greater Joliet area and Greater Bolingbrook area in Will County; Morris area in Grundy County; Starved Rock and vicinity in LaSalle County; and Putnam County.

We'll start by visiting the Chicago Portage/Southern Cook County area, made up of twelve communities: Countryside, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, Lemont, Lyons, McCook, Willow Springs, Homer Township and the Township of Lyons.

This region is steeped in I&M Canal history and is best known as the place where explorers Jolliet and Marquette first portaged goods and canoes overland between waterways.

Present day explorers come here for its bounty of leisure activities, from biking along the I&M Canal towpaths to discovering the rich history of quaint canal towns filled with specialty and antique shops.

Next week, we'll begin our journey of the Chicago Portage/Southern Cook County area as we explore the Village of Lemont.

In the meantime, please feel free to leave your own comments, suggestions and recommendations of things to see and do here in the Heritage Corridor.

If you need information right away about I&M Canal Heritage Corridor restaurants, hotels or attractions, you can get it on our website or by calling or stopping by any one of our local Visitors Centers.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Search our events calendar here.