Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor

Revitalizing the Illinois & Michigan Canal about 150 years after it was completed.

This engaging aerial perspective focuses on the route of the Illinois & Michigan Canal between the western Chicago suburbs and the town of Peru, Illinois. It captures the extent of the nation’s first Heritage Corridor, established by an Act of Congress in 1984.

The image reflects the intensive redevelopment efforts across a segment of the important historic waterway, which first opened in 1848 to connect Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. A variety of locations of interest are labeled, including historic sites, recreational areas, important industries, and more. Several insets along the bottom of the sheet show larger-scale views of certain congested sections. Interstate highways, the new supreme form of transportation, dominate the surrounding area. The map was copyrighted in 1990 by the Perspecto Map Company, Inc. Published by the Heritage Corridor Visitor’s Bureau. Additional information on local attractions is provided on the verso of the sheet.