Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society

Stories

The Hennepin Feeder Canal

The City of Henry, a tugboat out of the Port of Chicago, pushes a coal barge along the Hennepin Feeder Canal in Montmorency Township around 1907.

The Illinois and Mississippi Feeder Canal

An address by Gunnar Benson,¹ delivered at the dedication of the historical marker at the beginning of the Illinois and Mississippi Feeder Canal in Rock Falls, Illinois October 13, 1974.

“We are here today to commemorate with a marker the existence of a canal system that stands out in the history of the State of Illinois. It seems only appropriate that we should take a brief look at the history of the Illinois and Mississippi Canal, or the Hennepin Canal as it is more commonly known. It got its more familiar name from the fact that the canal proper began at a point near Hennepin on the Illinois River. It then extended westerly through Bureau and Henry Counties until it entered the Rock River a short distance west of Colona. From Colona it followed the Rock River channel for ten miles to the lower segment of the canal, a four-and-one-half-mile construction around the Rock Island rapids, before joining the Mississippi River.

“Because of the high elevation, or summit, of the canal at one point, a 29-mile feeder canal was built from Rock Falls, almost straight southward to the town of Mineral in Bureau County. The purpose of this feeder canal, which is fed by the Rock River at Rock Falls, is to maintain an adequate level of water in the canal proper at all times.

“In the early days the feeder canal also served as a water highway for small barges, and some coal and grain was hauled to the communities along its course in Henry, Bureau and Whiteside Counties.

“Agitation for the building of a canal in western Illinois that would connect the Illinois and Mississippi rivers in the Rock River area began soon after the close of the Black Hawk war in 1832. Settlers were now arriving in large numbers, and felt the need for such a waterway with the great advantage it would afford.

“Promoter of the Illinois and Mississippi Canal Project believed it would become “the Erie Canal of Illinois” and would serve not only western Illinois, but Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin as well along the Mississippi River. Surely, Hennepin at its eastern terminus would become a thriving metropolis.

“Wanting something, and getting it, however, very often are two different things. Almost six decades were to pass before Congress would authorize construction of the long sought after canal, in 1890. Lobbying by powerful railroad interests delayed both the authorization and the construction of the canal.

“By the time the canal was officially opened in 1907, railroads were to be found in most areas of Illinois. The great need that existed before the coming of railroads to the state was no longer present, but the canals in Illinois did serve the purpose of lowering high railroad freight rates.

“The competition of an ever-growing network of railroads, the building of good hard roads, and the introduction of a vast trucking system in time, however, forced the closing of the canal to through traffic because of its lack of use. Traffic never did come up to the expectations of those who had fought so hard to get the canal. A peak was reached in 1929 when 30,000 tons of freight moved down the Hennepin. The next 15 years saw the average annual tonnage drop to 11,500 tons. By 1948 there was no longer any movement of commercial traffic on the canal.

“With the gradual decline of the canal as a shipping lane, the Hennepin was at the same time enjoying an ever increasing use by millions of outdoor enthusiasts. Fishing, boating, and picnicking and camping along its banks, has made it one of the favorite recreation areas in the state.

“Little wonder, then, that the announcement in 1951 by the U.S. Corps of Engineers that it planned to abandon the canal fell like a bombshell on Illinois sportsmen. A storm of protest followed and triggered a huge campaign to save the canal.

“The Illinois and Mississippi Canal has a vast untapped potential for recreation.” so stated the report of the Illinois-Mississippi Canal and Lake Sinnissippi Commission to Governor William G. Stratton and the 71st General Assembly of the State of Illinois. It then spelled out the many benefits to be derived from converting the 100-mile canal-way into a long series of parks and recreational areas.

“The “Save the Canal” project bounced back and forth between Springfield and Washington many times. State and National legislators and supporters of the program agreed that it was a worthwhile project, and that something should be done, but the big question continued to be, “Who is going to pay for it?”

“Finally it was agreed between State and Federal officials that Illinois would take over the canal as soon as engineers had completed the work of rehabilitation, which was expected to cover a period of several years. Work was started with a $2,000,000 appropriation by Congress. It was expected that it would take another $6,000,000 to complete the job. Illinois officials estimated that $20,000,000 would be spent before the broad program of development was completed.

“During the Ogilvie administration the canal property was deeded to the State of Illinois, and placed under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Conservation. Work is progressing at a slow pace, largely because of the unavailability of adequate funds. When completed, the Hennepin will rate among the top recreation areas of the Nation.

”Of special interest to local area citizens will be the proposed development of the Lake Sinnissippi area. Other areas along the route of the canal will also receive special attention. In the meantime the Hennepin is still providing much recreational enjoyment to fishermen, boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts. In more recent years it has become a playground for snowmobilers.

“The Hennepin Canal was built at a total expense of $7,315,563 and it is fair to say that figure will be multiplied several times in the development program.

“The original plans for the canal called for a width of 80 feet at the top and 52 feet at the bottom, and a depth of seven feet. Work was started on the canal in July, 1892, and was completed in 1907. Great celebrations were held all along the canal when it was officially opened on October 24, 1907. A huge parade made its way along the main streets of Sterling and Rock Falls, and finally came the dedication ceremonies at the bridge where the feeder canal has its beginning. The speaker’s platform was filled with local, state, and federal dignitaries as well as high officials from the neighboring states of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. A highlight of the ceremonies at the gates at the entrance to the feeder canal was the appearance of a large flotilla of flag and bunting decked boats which passed through the gates.

“Passing of the boat flotilla through the gates was preceded by a ribbon cutting ceremony, with the honors being done by the little ten-year-old daughter of Chief Engineer L. L. Wheeler. She is known to may of you as Mrs. Grace Clingan. Another local person who was prominent in the construction of the canal was a young engineer by the name of Fred Honens. He was later to serve as Mayor of the city of Sterling.

“It was a great day for the twin cities of Rock Falls and Sterling. Today the canal-way has the possibilities of becoming one of the finest recreation facilities in the country.

“Historians have often inclined to minimize the importance of these early canals—their part in the making of our Nation. Most of the credit for colonization has gone to the railroads. Yet, actually the canals and inland waters were the only travel-ways available to the pioneers and immigrants in their big rush to the Plains states during the early 1800’s. Over these waterways flowed the economic life blood needed to help a young nation survive in its struggle against powerful foreign aggression with an exchange of manufactured goods from the east for furs, minerals, and grain from the west.

“The Hennepin came onto the scene late in the important canal period, but for a time was an important link in the Midwest waterways system, centered in Illinois. The early development and improvement of waterways in Illinois was to make Chicago the greatest inland port in the world.

“Though the Illinois and Mississippi Canal, or Hennepin if you prefer, is no longer an active link in the Illinois waterways system, it stands today as perhaps the best preserved memorial to steamboat and canal days in our country. Present plans for its preservation should make it one of the most visited exhibits of early canals in America."

CANAL MARKER
"Construction on the “Hennepin Canal,” as it was commonly known, began in 1892 and was completed in 1907 at a cost of more than seven million dollars. The main canal extended 75 miles from the Illinois River near Hennepin to the Rock River near its juncture with the Mississippi. A feeder canal from the Rock River joined the main canal 29 miles to the south near Mineral. Utilization of the Hennepin Canal never reached expected proportions because of rapid technological advances in other modes of transportation, and in 1951 it was closed to traffic."

¹Gunnar Benson was Past President of both the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society and Illinois State Historical Society.