From a Canal to Lincoln

I’m so glad the owner of Just Art Pottery could not meet me until 11:45 am, because my unexpected visit to the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area, America’s first National Heritage Area, was great fun. The opening of this 96-mile canal in 1848 linked the Illinois River to Lake Michigan, thereby creating an all-water, inland route from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike the Erie Canal, this canal is less well-known, and few have recognized the significance of this canal, which opened trade in the region and in America’s heartland and resulted in Illinois becoming the most populous inland American state.

I arrived early in the morning in La Salle, Illinois, and spent some time at Lock 14, the only restored gates on the canal. An authentic replica of a canal boat, which offers mule-pulled rides on the waterway, was docked there.

Lock 14 on the I & M Canal

The Canal Boat that Offers Mule-Pulled Rides on the Canal

The I & M Canal NHA has developed a silhouette tour that lets visitors explore the canal through its people. Steel silhouettes that depict passengers and canal workers tell their stories and the lasting impact they have had. I loved the silhouettes and thought this was a very clever way of including these historic figures in the overall narrative.

The Silhouettes Even Include Abraham Lincoln and His Family, Who Traveled on the Canal

I next stopped by the Visitor Center in downtown LaSalle, which was established as the canal’s western terminus. I mentioned to the staff how fortuitous it was that I was even there, and they seemed intrigued by my story. The director of the heritage area was walking out the door, but she came back in and gave me an excellent overview of the canal and its history.

The Maps at the Visitor Center Helped Me Understand the Canal

I had extra time, so I sat and had coffee, since the center includes a café and gift shop. I ordered a breakfast sandwich to go, which I ate later, and it was delicious. Talking with the staff added to my enjoyment of this visit.

On my way to Just Art Pottery in East Peoria, Illinois, I drove through a countryside dotted with field after field. Some were bright green, others had crops just peeking through the soil, while others were newly plowed and waiting to be planted.

Trying to Photograph Farmers' Fields through My Dirty Windshield Was Challenging

It was somewhat bittersweet when I sold my Roseville art pottery collection. I loved that collection, but there is no room to display it in our condo. In fact, I had not seen the pottery since I packed it ten years ago. The owners had two very cute cats, who had fun playing in the paper that the pottery had been wrapped in. Although I no longer have my collection, I now have a check that will likely pay for this trip.

I Got My Kitty Fix While Selling My Pottery

The rest of the drive through Illinois was on interstate highways, which are not my favorite. For me, it’s much more stressful than driving on narrow backroads. Interstates are necessary, of course, but I do try to avoid them when it’s feasible.

My next stop was Danville, Illinois, a Looking for Lincoln gateway community in the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. One more NHA to add to my collection! This NHA looks inside Abraham Lincoln’s life and times in central Illinois, where he raised his family and began his career in law and politics. In this “Land of Lincoln,” each community in the heritage area has its own Lincoln story to tell.

The folks at the Danville Area Convention and Visitors’ Bureau were very helpful. They immediately produced the passport stamp and gave me directions to the Looking for Lincoln Story Trail.

The city has created several wayside exhibits that describe Lincoln’s time in Danville, where he practiced law from 1841 to 1859. Lincoln was a close friend of Dr. William Fithian, and while visiting Danville during his 1858 senatorial campaign, Lincoln stayed in Fithian’s house and gave a speech from its second-floor balcony. The Fithian House has been preserved as a house museum.

Looking for Lincoln in Danville, Illinois

Fithian House

I returned to the interstate and finally made it to Indianapolis, where I planned to spend the night. Once again, I lost an hour when crossing into Indiana. Since I had no idea that Indiana was in the Eastern Time Zone, I was really confused as to what time it was when I checked into the Holiday Inn Express.

What Time Is It in Indiana?