Illinois' I&M Canal's 175th Anniversary-- Part 1

From the April 8, 2023, Northwest Herald "Experience I&M Canal's 

Of course, people have heard of the Erie Canal, the Suez Canal and Panama Canal, but fewer are familiar with this one.

At the end of April, I wrote about Illinois Governor JB Pritzker declaring April as the official month of the I&M (Illinois & Michigan).

Here are some things you might want to check out in regards to this important canal, which connected the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River via the Illinois River.

Ottawa, Illinois, has a remarkable I&M Canal structure in the form of an original tollhouse which has many recovered items and fascinating displays about the waterway' storied history in a compact one-room footprint.

Located in the heart of Ottawa's downtown, right along the I&M towpath, you'll find the immacilate-looking, 175-year-old structure that a group of dedicated volunteers turned the husk of a building into a paonstakenly researched approximation of what the canal collector's tollhouse would have looked like back in 1848.

--Cooter

April 2023 Official Month of I&M Canal in Illinois

To commemorate the 175th anniversary of the openingof the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the enormius impact it had on the region, state and nation, Governor JB Pritzker declared April 2023 the official month of the I&M Canal.

The next several posts will be about it and things you can do along it today.

--CootCanal

Dorr Township, Illinois-- Named for the Arrested Governor Who Wasn't From Illinois

In February I had a lot of entries about the 15th Illinois Infantry Regiment in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog.  The regiment had several companies from McHenry County where I live, including Company A that was mainly from Woodstock, Illinois, where our McHenry County Civil War Round Table meets every second Tuesday of the month.

We have a meeting this Tuesday, March 12 on Jonathan Letterman (no relation to David) who is credited as "The Father of Battlefield Medicine."

Anyway, I found a site that gave the residences of every member of Company A.  Most had Woodstock as their residence, and others had other McHenry County towns.  But. there were a few other places listed that after some research, I found to be McHenry County townships: Seneca, Greenwood Dorr and Hartland.  I had to look up the townships of McHenry County as I did not know most of them other than Burton, where we live, Richmond and McHenry.

When I looked up Dorr Township at its official site, I found it was named after Governor Thomas Wilson Dorr who had a "dramatically colorful record in the annals of American history, serving a jail sentence from which he was later acquitted by a Supreme Court decision."

Well, being from Illinois, I am well aware of the penchant for our governors finding themselves imprisoned.

So, I looked up Illinois' Governor Dorr.  Only, Illinois has never had a Governor Dorr.

The Plot Thickens.  --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Illinois Governors-- Part 6: Richard Oglivie

9. On ething that RICHARD OGLIVIE lacked as far as being a politician was a photogenic smile. But, he had a good excuse, As a tank commander in World War II, he was hit in the face by shrapnel. //// 10. OH THOSE NAMES-- The first governor of Illinois' first name was SHADRACH. The third governor's first name was NINIAN. In case you're wondering, their names were Shadrach Bond and Ninian Edwards. Ninian Edwards also served as governor of the Territory of Illinois from 1809 to 1818, until it became a state. He was appointed by President James Madison. //// What Were the Names of Santa's Helpers on the Sleigh? --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Illinois Governors-- Part 5: John Stelle

#8. JOHN STELLE, who served as governor for just three months after the death of Governor Henry Horner in 1940 (so that's where the Henry Horner Woods in Cook County gets its name), appointed a new state purchasing agent, GEORGE EDWARD DAY, who bought loads of paint from a Springfield merchant. Turns out that merchanmt was none other than himself. // This insider dealing, though, had a lasting public benefit. Illinois used Day's paint to became only the second state to put yellow lines in the middle of its roads to denote no-passing lanes. No mention of whether Day got in trouble for his "deal." //// Making the Best of a Bad Situation. --DaCoot

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Illinois Governors-- Part 4: Adlai Stevenson II-- "Big Jim" Thompson

6. ADLAI STEVENSON II was an Illinois governor and two-time Democratic nominee for president and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He was also the inspiration for Peter Sellers' character of President Merkin Muffley in "Dr. Strangelove." Muffley is the mild-mannered rational "egghead" who says: "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room." OK, now, I'm going to have to watch the movie. //// #7. Serving from 1977-1991, Republican JAMES THOMPSON is easily Illinois' longest-serving governor. But "Big Jim's" (he is quite tall) impact on Illinois goes beyond that. In 1972-1973, as U.S. attorney, he successfully prosecuted Democrat former Gov. Otto Kerner for bribery. In 1975, still the U.S. attorney, he successfully petitioned for leniency for Kerner in part because of his ill-health. Later, as a private attorney, he would make the same plea on behalf of imprisoned former Republican Gov. George Ryan, who had served as Thompson's lieutenant governor. //// Depends Upon Which Side of the Toast Your Butter's On. --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Illinois Governors-- Part 3: Edward Coles-- John Peter Altgeld

4. EDWARD COLES, although well-connected and educated, wasn't much of a politician. he was socially awkward anda mediocre orator. Worst of all, he spoke his mind. But, some scholars consider him Illinois' greatest governor because he prevented the state from becoming a slave state (although born in Virginia). As the second governor, in 1824, he rallied the forces to stop a legislative-ordered referendum to rewrite the constitution to allow slavery. He even used his own money to help stop it. //// Fewer than a third of Illinois' governors were born in the state-- only 13 of 41. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until WILLIAM STRATTON'S inauguration in 1953 that Illinois overtook Kentucky as birthplace of state governors. And, two governors were born overseas: JOHN PETER ALTGELD was born in Germany and SAM SHAPIRO was born in Estonia. //// NIU's Altgeld Hall Was Named After Him. --DaCoot

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Illinois Governors-- Part 2: Blago-- $177,412

2. Former Governor ROD BLAGOJEVICH's legal name is not Milorad, but it almost was. His father wanted to give him this traditional Serbian name, which means "happy worker." But, his mother vetoed it and wanted the more American name Rod. //// 3. $177,412. That is what the Illinois currently gets. Early governors received $1,000 as set in the 1818 constitution. The salary ranks 4th highest for state governors, but less than the mayor of Chicago, heads of Metra and Chicago Public Schools or members of the state supreme court. //// Good Money If You Can Get It. --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Illinois Governors-- Part 1: "Drunken Dick"

From the March 16, 2014, Chicago Tribune by Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkofer. //// I really look forward to seeing these articles every so often in the Tribune (wish it was every Sunday). In this past primary, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn faced but one opponent in a who-cares race as there was no doubt he would win it. However, there were four vying for the Republican nod in a rather vicious contest. All Illinois elections have been vicious lately. If the accusations are believed, everyone should be going to jail (also something Illinois governors are good at) instead of running for office. //// Well, our researchers par excellens, Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkofer, dug a little deeper and came up with some interesting stuff. //// 1. The first Governor RICHARD YATES (there were two Governor Richard Yates) earned his name "DRUNKEN DICK." At his inauguration night in 1861, the intoxicated politician kept president-elect Lincoln and other dignataries waiting for half an hour, then stumbled down the aisle into a chair. The House clerk read his speech for him. //// Vote for "Drunken Dick." He'll Wobble, Bit Won't Fal;l Down. --DaCoot