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The United States Congress authorized construction of the Illinois and Mississippi
(Hennepin) Canal in 1887. This canal connected the Illinois River just south of Hennepin in Putnam County to the Rock River near Moline in Rock Island County and from there by way of a canal around the Rock River's lower rapids at Milan to the Mississippi River at the city of Rock Island. From Hennepin in Putnam County the canal passes through Bureau, Henry, and Rock Island Counties with a feeder up to Rock Falls on the Rock River in Whiteside County. Farmers and other shippers on the upper Mississippi had lobbied for this more direct water route from their part of the state to the shipping lanes of the Great Lakes. As early as 1874 some nine hundred delegates had attended a convention at Rock Island to petition for such a canal. When the canal was opened in 1907 it was virtually useless. The Illinois River continued to be insufficiently navigable between LaSalle and Lockport. And even if this had not been the case the Illinois and Michigan Canal which connected the Illinois River to Lake Michigan was too shallow and too narrow to accommodate substantial and economically feasible craft. Further, overland railroad lines afforded cheaper, faster, and more dependable alternatives. The federal government closed the canal in 1951 and announced its intention to abandon it. The General Assembly created the Illinois-Mississippi Canal and Sinnissippi Lake Commission in 1953 to study the feasibility of the state's assuming title to canal lands and properties and converting them into a recreational area. The commission was composed of five members of the House appointed by the Speaker, five members of the Senate appointed by the president pro tempore, the directors of the Departments of Conservation and Public Works and Buildings, and one other member appointed by the Governor (L. 1953, p. 5). The state did not take possession of canal lands and properties until November 19, 1969 when the Governor signed acceptances of titles. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers records concerning the canal subsequently were transferred to the Illinois Department of Conservation. The state, however, continues to negotiate with federal authorities regarding responsibility for maintaining canal railroad and highway bridges and dams. (P.A. 86-294, pp. 2184-2185).
497.001
MAP, DRAWING, AND PLAN FILES, G-Q. 1821-1947; 1958. 48 cu. ft. Index.
Maps, drawings, and plans concern the layout, construction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of the canal. Subjects include the mainline, the Rock River pool, aqueducts, sluices, spillways, dams, turnout basins, locks, culverts, buildings, highway and railroad bridges, railroads, rivers, towns, townships, counties, rights-of-way, rights of flow, reservoirs, feeders, guard walls, crib work, and shore protection.
497.002
MAP, DRAWING, AND PLAN FILES, A-P. 1882-1885; 1890-1899; 1902; 1904; 1907-1909; 1912-1914; 1916; 1918; 1922; 1924; 1928-1932; 1936-1941; 1944-1951; 1955-1956; 1961; 1963; 1969; 1971; 1973-1974. 16 cu. ft. Index.
Maps, drawings, and plans concern the layout, construction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of the canal. Subjects include the mainline, the Rock River, rights-of-way, rights of flow, drainage, railroads, rivers, towns, townships, counties, railroad and highway bridges, buildings, culverts, locks, aqueducts, sluices, spillways, dams, turnout basins, seep ditches, highways, feeders, soundings, raising gates, embankments, levees, steel pile piers, and abutments.
497.003
MAP, DRAWING, AND PLAN FILES, 600-604. 1890-1893; 1897-1936; 1938; 1941; 1945-1946; 1968-1969. 10 cu. ft. Index.
Maps, drawings, and plans concern the layout, construction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of the canal. Subjects include the mainline, land acquisition, aqueducts, railroad and highway bridges, floods, drainage, buildings, highways, railroads, gage readings, erosion, spillways, locks, sluiceways, culverts, townships, fish hatcheries, the Rock and Green Rivers, borings, sluice gates, abutments,
feedways, rights-of-way, channel soundings, embankments, and dams.
497.004
MAP, DRAWING, AND PLAN FILES. 1838; 1882-1898; 1901; 1905; 1909; 1928-1929; 1932-1974. 26 cu. ft. No index.
Maps, drawings, and plans concern the layout, construction, improvement, repair, and maintenance of the canal. Subjects include the mainline, highway and railroad bridges, piers, barges, rainfall, buildings, gage readings, culverts, draining ditches, locks, dams, land acquisition, the Mississippi and Rock Rivers, benchmarks, channel soundings, construction materials, spillways, aqueducts, drainage, flooding, highways, railroads, reservoirs, easements, photographs, Lake
Sinnissippi, embankments, culverts, towpaths, barge transfer terminals, navigation, fences, cost estimates, power plants, and canal abandonment.
497.005
SURVEY RECORD. 1890-1894; 1900-1936. 78 vols. No index.
Surveys concern measurements for the canal mainline route, feeder lines, boundary lines, grade levels, Rock River depth soundings, embankments, levees, drainage districts, and locks.
497.006
FIELD NOTES RECORD. 1890-1907; 1930-1936. 604 vols. Partial index (RS 497.007).
Field notes describe such topographical features as land elevations, county roads, canal stations, railroad lines, boundary lines, Bureau Creek meanderings, canal water levels, drainage ditches, railroad and highway bridges, locks, spillways, earthwork, masonry grades, and Green River diversions.
497.007
FIELD NOTES INDEX. 1890-1906. 1 cu. ft.
Subject entries (e.g., Bureau Creek, canal stations, railroad lines) reference field note volume and page numbers and provide the dates of entries along with the names of the inspectors or engineers who made them.
497.008
CANAL ROUTE PLAT FILES. 1893-1901. 5 cu. ft. No index.
Files include original and copies of original plats of the canal route. Plats show canal route layout with measured references. Also included are narrative descriptions of each plat and indications of the owners of these land parcels. Occasionally included are copies of land conveyances from property owners to the federal government which precluded court condemnation proceedings.
497.009
LAND TITLE ABSTRACTS. 1891-1900; 1904-1906. 6 cu. ft. No index.
Abstracts include land legal descriptions, detailed histories of ownerships, plats, itemizations of any encumbrances, and the names of extant owners. Abstracts were prepared by local firms for federal authorities which used the information to negotiate land acquisitions, either voluntary or through court actions. Also included are copies of federal court proceedings concerning land condemnations.
497.010
LAKE SINNISSIPPI FLOWAGE EASEMENT DEED FILES. 1963-1967. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Files concern federal acquisition of flowage easement deeds granting the right to overflow, flood, and submerge specified lands. Included are flowage easement deeds acquired from towns, park districts, individuals, railroads, and utility companies. Also included are title abstracts, Department of the Army inspection reports, and receipts for payments. These deeds were acquired for the purposes of rehabilitating, modifying, maintaining, and operating the lake as a recreational resource.
497.011
LAND SALE AND LEASE AGREEMENT FILES. 1898-1954. 2 cu. ft. Partial index.
Files include voluntary land sale and lease agreements for properties along the mainline of the canal and its feeders. Also included are abstracts of agreements with contractors to perform specific jobs, blueprints and specifications for building bridges and for repairing bridges and boats, construction cost estimates, and related memoranda and correspondence.
497.012
LAND CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS FILES. 1891-1902; 1970. 1.5 cu. ft. No index.
Files include transcripts of federal court proceedings in which designated lands were condemned so that they could be passed over to federal ownership and construction could proceed on the mainline of the canal and its feeders. Proceedings determined just compensation for affected land owners. Also included are petitions, judgments, and occasional motions, stipulations, notices, orders, plats, and Illinois Attorney General opinions.
497.013
LAND CONDEMNATION FILES. 1875; 1894-1901; 1965-1966. 4 cu. ft. No index.
Files for each land tract condemned include the tract's legal description, tract number, county location, land owner's name, county where condemnation papers were filed, deed volume number, number of acres, a plat, and a interim binder for title insurance. Also included is a published state atlas (1875).
497.014
BENCH MARKS RECORD. 1874-1944; 1953-1958. 6 vols. and 1 cu. ft. No index.
Water level measurements are of the canal's mainline, its feeders, and related aqueducts, culverts, ditches, and rivers.
497.015
SOUNDINGS RECORD. 1901; 1939. 8 vols. No index.
Soundings measure the canal's mainline and navigable feeder water depths at various intervals.
497.016
DATA FILES. 1896-1906. 4 cu. ft. No index.
Files include computations, tabulations, estimates, summaries, and worksheets. Subjects include earthworks, stadia stations, excavations, land requirements, culverts, cement tests, bridges, bench marks, abutments, channels, soil characteristics, flowage, gates, borings, locks, discharges, elevations, reservoir capacities, spillways, wells, foundations, retaining walls, and costs. Occasionally included are design specifications, sketches, drawings, maps, route location reports, and related correspondence.
497.017
DATA FILES INDEX. 1890-1894. 1 vol.
Index to data files shows the names of the engineer, surveyor, or inspector who gathered the data, dates covered, and file subjects. Subjects include such topics as the triangulation of the Rock River, excavation and embankment requirements, land acquisition requirements, dam construction costs, and high water discharge estimates.
This index does not provide access to any current State Archives holdings.
497.018
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS DATA RECORD. 1936-1939. 1 vol. No index.
Data include locations of canal structures, water levels at locks, Rock River and Bureau Creek high water levels, dredging costs, canal elevations, culvert elevations and flow lines, bench marks, water pipe installation costs, and the cost of a garage at lock 26.
497.019
IMPROVEMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY FILES. 1936-1952. 20 cu. ft. No index.
Files concern studies conducted to determine the economic feasibility of widening and deepening the canal. Subjects include canal elevations, test borings, bench marks, a channel expansion to nine feet, structure designs, dredging, earthwork relocation, drainage, aqueducts, highway and railroad bridges, barges, use statistics, comparative costs to railroad transport, freight rates and tariffs, soil conditions, bridge abutments, terminal facilities, dams, and alternate canal routes. In addition to studies also included are related maps, photographs, engineering plats, user questionnaires, and correspondence.
497.020
LEASE FILES. 1908-1940; 1943-1945. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Files of canal right-of-way lands leased by the Secretary of War to private individuals include name of lessee, amount of annual rent, lease term, date issued, land description, itemization of covenants and conditions, and signatures of War Department authorities and lessees. Included with leases are maps of leased property.
497.021
LICENSE FILES. 1925-1953. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Licenses were issued by the Secretary of War to utility companies, townships, individuals, and the Illinois Department of Conservation for the purposes of installing sewer lines, pipe lines, telephone poles, and power lines and authorizing livestock grazing on canal lands. Licenses include date, conditions, license term, annual payment amount, and the signatures of a Department of War authority and the licensee. Occasionally included are related blueprints and memoranda and license revocations.
497.022
EASEMENT FILES. 1947-1967. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Easement access to canal lands was granted by the War Department to utility companies, townships, drainage districts, railroads, counties, and the Illinois Department of Conservation for the purposes of constructing public roads, spanning railroads, and installing pipe and utility lines. Easement agreements include the date, names of the grantor and grantee, land description, and an itemization of provisions. Occasionally included are maps of easement areas.
497.023
OUTGRANT RECORD. 1964-1969. 3 vols. No index.
Outgrants include leases, licenses, easement grants, and deeds issued by the U.S. Department of Defense to individuals, utility companies, drainage districts, civic organizations, religious organizations, townships, counties, and the Illinois Departments of Conservation and Public Works and Buildings. Outgrants include the date, names of the grantor and grantee, land description, the term of the agreement, and an itemization of provisions.
497.024
FUNCTIONAL MAP RECORD. November 1, 1890-February 1893. 1 vol.
Index to canal maps gives the file number, title description, date, scale dimensions, and remarks (e.g., tracings, drawings). This index no longer applies as maps currently are arranged chronologically rather than by function.
497.025
LOCK TENDERS' RECORD. 1906-1940. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Record concerns the daily movement of canal vessels through locks. Information includes the date and hour the vessel passed, the vessel's destination (i.e., north or south), vessel name, number of passengers, and type of cargo (e.g., light load, fish, company equipment, pleasure trip).
497.026
ENGINEERS' CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1892-1906. 2.5 cu. ft. No index.
Incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers engineers concern the canal route, land acquisition, cost estimates, construction specifications, inspection reports, equipment and supply requests, freight charges, appropriations, laborers, payrolls, material estimates, stolen equipment and supplies, water levels, time schedules, canal traffic, flooding, repairs, and dredging. Occasionally included are copies of construction blueprints and work status reports.
497.027
LETTERBOOKS. January 1893-September 1913. 97 vols. Index.
Copies of outgoing correspondence from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers engineers, inspectors, and clerks are addressed to fellow corps employees, local officials, attorneys, landowners, and construction and supply companies. Subjects include land acquisition, freight charges, contracts, laborers, supply and equipment purchases, payrolls, inventories, cost estimates, appropriations, inspections, specifications, railroad and highway bridges, drainage, aqueducts, dams, coal supplies, dynamite use, severe weather, hunting licenses, boat leases, lock elevations, corps personnel, work hours, gauge readings, lakes and reservoirs, and the conditions of equipment.
497.028
EASTERN SECTION CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1894-1903. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Files include incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the canal's eastern section with attorneys, the Secretary of War, and construction, railroad, and utility companies. Subjects include land acquisition, construction specifications, cost estimates, laborers, supplies and equipment, work progress reports, laborer injuries, railroad and highway bridges, locks, gates, dams, telephone lines, culverts, spill banks, feeders, drainage districts, and corps personnel. Occasionally included are cost estimate forms, blueprints, and maps.
497.029
EASTERN SECTION LETTERBOOKS. August 1896-December 1906. 10 vols. Partial index.
Copies of outgoing correspondence from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the canal's eastern section are addressed to attorneys and construction companies. Subjects include construction specifications, land acquisition, cost estimates, railroad and highway bridges, canal buildings, injuries to laborers, high water levels, freight charges, material and equipment purchases, and ice cutting.
497.030
WESTERN SECTION CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1896-1907. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the canal's western section are with construction and utility companies, attorneys, and the Secretary of War. Subjects include land acquisition, construction specifications and materials, inspections, laborers, grade levels, railroad and highway bridges, telephone lines, contracts, the Rock River, dams, flooding, supplies and equipment, and feeder overflows. Occasionally included are construction blueprints.
497.031
WESTERN SECTION LETTERBOOKS. April 1891-April 1907. 10 vols. Partial index.
Copies of outgoing correspondence from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the canal's western section are addressed to attorneys and railroad, manufacturing, and construction companies. Subjects include the canal route, land acquisition, bridge crossings, surveys, construction specifications, cost estimates, freight charges, contracts, material and equipment purchases, inspections, fishing regulations, meander lines, work progress, time limits, flooding, and contract awards.
497.032
CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1894-1906. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and attorneys and coal, manufacturing, telephone, stone, ironworks, railroad, and lumber companies concern land acquisition, coal purchases, railroad cars and locomotives, the shipment of sand sacks, telephone purchases, stone deliveries, railroad bridges, lumber purchases, freight charges, and equipment repair.
497.033
ASSISTANT ENGINEER CORRESPONDENCE ROUTING RECORD. June 30, 1902-November 27, 1906. 1 vol. No index.
Record of assistant engineers' correspondence circulated for informational purposes shows the date sent, recipient, and date returned.
497.034
ADMINISTRATIVE FILES. 1944-1976. 2 cu. ft. No index.
Files include incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and attorneys, landowners, salvage companies, the Illinois Attorney General, and state and federal agencies; listings of canal structures and real estate tracts; mailing lists; project and property maps; court documents relating to rights-of-way; contract specifications; bid invitations; copies of operating rules and regulations; press releases; newspaper articles; photographs; and memoranda. Subjects include land acquisition, easement agreements, water diversion, flooding, canal rehabilitation and modification, plans for the Sinnissippi Lake area, bridge repair, trespassing on government property, fishing law violations, grazing licensing, and the transfer of the canal to the State of Illinois.
497.035
BID PROPOSAL RECORD. December 31, 1894-June 27, 1895. 1 vol. No index.
Bid proposals for supplies and equipment submitted by private companies include delivery date, delivery location, quantity, description (e.g., timber, iron), and price quotation for goods and shipping. Also included are copies of letters from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accepting bids.
497.036
CEMENT TEST RECORD. 1895; 1897-1898; 1901-1903. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Record concerns results of tests made of various cement brands. Data include date, brand name, supply contractor, storage location, degree of fineness, setting time, amount used, amounts of sand and water added, and breaking stress in pounds per square inch.
497.037
PHOTOGRAPHIC FILES. 1896-1905; 1936-1974. 3 cu. ft. No index.
Photographic positive and negative images depict canal construction, railroad bridges, culverts, flooding of the Green River, locks, walkways, valves, buildings and structures, erosion, towpaths, overflows, ice on the canal, fishing and boating activities, and residences and parks overlooking Lake
Sinnissippi.
497.038
INSPECTOR DIRECTIVES. 1897-1900. 1 vol. Index.
Directives issued to inspectors concern cement testing, inspection schedules, gravel sampling, loading equipment, material requisitions, bridge iron and steel work, and plats of condemned land.
497.039
SUPPLY LEDGER. July 25, 1897-May 16, 1928. 1 vol. No index.
Ledger of supplies and equipment purchased includes date received, description (e.g., lanterns, rope, spades), quantity, name of supplier, bill date, price, accounting item, and destination.
497.040
REQUISITION RECORD. 1897-1900. 1 vol. No index.
Requisitions for supplies and equipment include date, location where required, purpose (e.g., construction, care and repair), description (e.g., hammers, spikes, axes), and quantity requested.
497.041
CANAL OPERATIONS TEN-DAY AND MONTHLY REPORTS. December 1897-November 1906; July 1919-December 1921. 10 vols. No index.
Ten-day and monthly reports on canal operations were prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ten-day reports include the date, location (e.g., western or eastern section; canal mile point; culvert, bridge, dam, aqueduct), contractor's name, list of employees, time expended, labor costs, and a description of the work accomplished. Monthly reports include project expenses, balance not expended, amount appropriated, outstanding liabilities, a description of the work accomplished, and a description of probable operations for the following month. Occasionally included are contract listings, listings of bills submitted, and related correspondence. Also included is a War Department annual report (1898).
497.042
WAGE RECORD. March 1900. 1 vol. No index.
Record shows the daily wages of canal laborers.
497.043
SATURATION TEST RECORD. 1934. 1 vol. No index.
Record shows soil saturation levels along the canal route.
497.044
FLOOD CONTROL FILES. 1935-1938. 2 cu. ft. No index.
Files on proposed flood control dams include soil analyses, dam site cross-section and topography maps, bank elevation measurements, spillway measurements and design specifications, cost estimates, and construction blueprints.
497.045
RAILROAD BRIDGE SURVEY. 1938. 2 vols. Partial index.
Survey itemizes damages to railroad bridges along the canal route.
497.046
MAINTENANCE RECORD. 1973-1974. 1 vol. No index.
Record concerns the removal of brush and old wire along the canal route and the replacement of fences and gates. Information includes the date work performed, temperature at the work site, site location, number of laborers, equipment used, and type of work.
497.047
SUBJECT CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1885-1907; 1911-1912; 1914; 1935-1955; 1960-1977. 8 cu. ft. No index.
Files include incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with landowners, attorneys, construction and utility companies, the Secretary of War, hunting associations, and local, state, and federal elected officials. Subjects include land acquisitions; the canal route; land surveys; specifications for bridges, locks, dams, gates, valves, and aqueducts; the use of steamboats on the canal; cost estimates; appropriations; property leases; feeder extensions; railroad and highway bridges; flooding; trespassers; inspections; telephone lines; hunting refuges; drainage problems on adjacent private properties; dredging; reservoirs; game warden authority; canal lands for grazing purposes; bathing beaches; repairs; and the transfer of the canal. Occasionally included are maps, blueprints, construction specifications, photographs, newspaper articles, memoranda, and a draft agreement between the federal government and the State of Illinois for the repair, modification and transfer of the canal for recreation purposes.
497.048
ABANDONMENT AND TRANSFER STUDY FILES. 1908; 1937; 1947-1960. 5 cu. ft. No index.
Studies concern a descriptive and historical sketch of the canal (1908), the feasibility of deepening the navigable canal depth to nine feet (1937), and either abandoning the canal or transferring it over to the State of Illinois for recreational purposes (1947-1960). Abandonment and transfer studies focus on cost estimates and include such subjects as gates, equipment, aqueducts, bridges, culverts, the Sterling Dam, beach banks, highways, drainage, municipal marinas, flooding, channel realignment, hydraulic requirements, property and flowage rights, fisheries, and property inventories. Also included are related correspondence, hearing transcripts, maps, copies of legislation, newspaper articles, and memoranda.
497.049
ABANDONMENT AND TRANSFER CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1951-1974. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with federal, state, and local officials concern the feasibility of abandoning the canal or transferring it over to the State of Illinois. Subjects include property rights-of-way, bridges, canal buildings, pending legislation, flood control, railroads, and highways. Also included are related study reports, transcripts of Illinois and Mississippi Canal and Lake Sinnissippi Commission hearings (1951, 1953), maps, newspaper articles, memoranda, and a draft of a canal transfer agreement.
497.050
CIVIL WORKS CORRESPONDENCE FILES. 1959-1977. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Copies of outgoing and incoming correspondence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with state and federal officials, concerned citizens, sports organizations, and the Illinois Department of Conservation concern the rehabilitation, maintenance, and repair of the canal. Subjects include drainage conditions, inspection of hydraulic structures, drainage ditches, water diversion, sale of salvaged material, the dam at Sterling, boat traffic, repair priorities, flood protection, small animal trapping, and the costs of abandoning the canal. Also included are copies of federal legislation for canal appropriations; a copy of a supplemental agreement between the federal government and the State of Illinois to repair, modify, and then transfer the canal; press releases; and memoranda.
497.051
REAL ESTATE RESETTLEMENT FILES. 1963-1967. 3 cu. ft. No index.
Files concern the acquisition of flowage easement rights prior to the transfer of the canal to the State of Illinois. Included are appraisal summary reports which show the tract number, township and county location, owners' names and addresses, acreage, and appraised evaluation. Also included are copies of title insurance policies, closing statements, certifications of inspection and possession, copies of payment, copies of easement flowage deeds, surveyors' legal descriptions of land tracts, and related memoranda.
497.052
ILLINOIS AND MISSISSIPPI CANAL AND LAKE SINNISSIPPI COMMISSION FILES. 1970-1973. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Files include commission meeting minutes, correspondence, and vouchers. Subjects include federal funding of canal improvements, water levels, locks, the commission's internal functioning, and travel reimbursement.
These records are available at the Illinois State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State.
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