L'histoire de la ville des vents est profondément liée à celle de la rivière Chicago. L'imposante présence de la voie d'eau est perceptible dans toute la ville et son impact sur la métropole a été immense. À bien des égards, on pourrait même dire que l'histoire de la rivière Chicago est l'histoire de la ville elle-même.

An excellent way to learn about the history of the Chicago-area waterway system is on a City Cruises river tour, such as the classic Seadog River & Lake Architectural Tour.

Enriching the local economy and bolstering commerce while occasionally posing significant challenges to its communities, the Chicago River system has both a natural and unnatural history, and not just when it’s dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day.

From Lake Michigan to the South Branch, here’s how the Chicago River has influencedthe  Windy City over the centuries.

Les peuples indigènes qui vivaient dans la région appelaient la rivière Chigagou

Before the onslaught of European occupation and colonization, the Chicago area was teeming with wild flora and fauna—deer, foxes, black bears, and most significantly, beavers. Beaver, in essence, was a cash cow, one that eventually fueled European colonization, as beaver fur and castoreum (an essence extracted from beavers, often used in colognes and perfumes) were much coveted in Europe.

Indigenous peoples who lived in what is now Chicago called the river Chigagou, or the “wild garlic place.” The Archaic, Upper Mississippian, and Woodland peoples (and the Potawatomi and Miami peoples who moved to the area later) were highly skilled at navigating the Chigagou’s waters, relying on it as a source of drinking water and food and a means of transportation for trading and hunting.

La ville de Chicago a été fondée par des colonisateurs européens

The early settlers lacked the skill of the Indigenous people whose land they took, but over time, they picked up smart techniques for navigating the river, including a shortcut that greatly reduced travel time. It wasn’t easy, though—it required carrying canoes across a few miles of muddy portage to reach the Great Lakes.

That shortcut eventually inspired European colonizers to establish a city where Chicago stands today, thanks to the ideal location for fast travel between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes—two of North America’s key trade and transportation routes.

The 1795 Treaty of Greenville was agreed upon by the United States and a confederation of Native American tribes. As a result, the former gained ownership of a 6-mile plot of land at the mouth of the river, and essentially, the rest is history: any city founded at this hub was bound to become a commercial success.

Surmonter les obstacles sur la rivière Chicago

Au fur et à mesure que la nouvelle se répand, de plus en plus de personnes sont attirées par la région, désireuses de profiter de son emplacement idéal sur une voie majeure de commerce et d'échange. Cependant, avant que l'homme ne la manipule, la rivière s'orientait vers le sud à l'endroit où se trouve aujourd'hui Michigan Avenue, ce qui obligeait les marins à contourner péniblement un banc de sable lorsqu'ils entraient dans le port ou en sortaient.

C'était particulièrement difficile, voire impossible, pour les grands navires, qui jetaient souvent l'ancre juste avant le port et rechargeaient leurs marchandises sur des navires plus petits qui pouvaient contourner le banc de sable, de sorte que les autorités ont concocté des plans pour remédier à cette complication.

Entre 1816 et 1828, plusieurs chenaux ont été creusés à travers le banc de sable, mais aucun n'a été couronné de succès, se remplissant sans cesse de sable. En 1833, le Congrès des États-Unis a donné le feu vert à la construction de jetées et à d'autres mesures visant à renforcer et à améliorer le port. Cette mission fut largement couronnée de succès et des navires plus grands purent enfin entrer et sortir du port sans trop de difficultés.

In 1836,  the Illinois General Assembly commenced work on the massive Illinois and Michigan Canal that would bypass the sandbank. The construction of the 96-mile ditch took some 12 years to complete, using Irish immigrant laborers. After the completion of the canal, the United States and its position in the world would change forever.

Apporter des améliorations majeures aux principales voies navigables de Chicago

Over time, more alterations were made to the Chicago River’s harbor and landscape. An extensive sewer system was built and the city essentially rose out of the mud: the harbor was expanded, and the river dredged and widened, so its flow reversed to run west from Lake Michigan.

In 1900,  the 28-mile Sanitary and Ship Canal was completed, in hopes of improving the local water quality—an effort that was thwarted by those dumping pollutants, both accidentally and knowingly, into Lake Michigan, the city’s source of drinking water. The canal successfully reversed the flow of the Chicago River, sending sewage away from Lake Michigan and toward the Mississippi River. But despite this major achievement, pollution from factories and weak environmental rules continued to harm the water for years. The project was a huge engineering success, but it also showed the ongoing struggle to balance city growth, clean water, and protecting the environment.x

D'autres tentatives d'amélioration de la qualité de l'eau potable locale ont été faites en 1910 avec la construction du North Shore Channel de 8 miles et du Cal-Sag Channel de 16 miles, qui a été achevé en 1922. Ces deux projets ont élargi la juridiction du district sanitaire et ont partiellement réussi à détourner le débit de la rivière du lac Michigan. En 1929, un très grand coude de la rivière a été redressé pour faciliter le trafic fluvial et ferroviaire.

La scène fluviale de Chicago à l'ère moderne

Ces dernières années, les habitants de Chicago ont pris des mesures en faveur d'un traitement plus respectueux de la rivière, même si la tradition de la teindre en vert pour la parade de la Saint-Patrick persiste et fêtera son 60e anniversaire en 2022.

It’s still not a source of drinking water—you don’t even want to swim in it, really—but deindustrialization in the mid-20th century helped with environmental issues contributing to the poor water quality, and it’s seen some improvements.

De nombreux commerces et restaurants se sont installés sur les rives du fleuve, notamment depuis le début de la construction de la Chicago Riverwalk en 2001. Le dernier tronçon du sentier polyvalent a été inauguré en 2016. Aujourd'hui, ce parcours très prisé longe le fleuve et Wacker Drive vers l'ouest, depuis le lac Michigan jusqu'à Lake Street.

The Chicago River was once known as a vital transportation route for trade and commerce, and played a crucial role in the city’s early growth and industrialization. Explore the history of the Chicago River with City Cruises, offering a unique perspective on the city’s architectural evolution. As you glide along the water, you’ll uncover fascinating stories about the river’s pivotal role in Chicago’s development and transformation. Consider enjoying the beauty of the Chicago River on a Premier Plus Dinner Cruise. Indulge in an exquisite evening of gourmet dining, dazzling skyline views, and unparalleled entertainment on a Premier Plus Chicago Dinner Cruise. Enjoy a decadent plated dinner and craft cocktails that will delight your palate while captivating panoramas of Chicago’s iconic architecture in a luxurious, glass-enclosed vessel. Take in the city from a Sights & Sips Cocktail Cruise and revel in striking views of the Chicago architecture. No matter the occasion, this cocktail cruise is perfect for friends and family looking to escape routine and enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the water.

Date de publication originale : 26 octobre 2022