No trip to Starved Rock Country is complete without spending some time along the Illinois & Michigan Canal. When you travel along it, you’re retracing the footsteps of people who transformed the Illinois prairie into the expansive and diverse region it is today, filled with exciting industries, delicious dining and plenty of boutique shopping opportunities. Walk in the footsteps of the laborers and lock tenders of nearly two centuries ago at these popular canal attractions.
The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area has one of the favorite National Park Service programs – Junior Ranger. It is easy to earn your badge by completing the activities in the book. You always can stop at the I&M Canal Visitor Center (754 First St.
, La Salle) or Isle a la Cache Museum (501 E. Romeo Road, Romeoville) to pick up your Junior Ranger book or return your book for your Junior Ranger badge. In addition, there are days and locations throughout the heritage area to attend a Junior Ranger Day to do both and meet a National Park Service ranger.
Check for details. Ottawa’s Toll House is a remarkable relic of the I&M Canal boom, a surviving original structure filled with recovered items and fascinating displays about the waterway’s storied history, all in a compact, one-room footprint. Located conveniently in the heart of Ottawa’s downtown, right along the I&M towpath, you’ll find the immaculate-looking, 175-year-old museum.
A group of dedicated volunteers turned the husk of a.