Could this waterway be the key to a healthier Chicago? We are standing before the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a 28-mile-long engineering marvel. Before its construction, the Chicago River, flowing right here, carried the city’s sewage into Lake Michigan, the very source of its drinking water. Fear gripped the city in 1885. Heavy rainfall threatened to contaminate the water supply with sewage, potentially causing a devastating epidemic. This event spurred the creation of the Sanitary District of Chicago. They took on the monumental task of reversing the river’s flow. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, completed in 1900, achieved this by connecting the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River. This reversed the flow, sending the city’s wastewater away from Lake Michigan and into the Mississippi River system. The canal served another purpose. It replaced the smaller Illinois and Michigan Canal, which had become insufficient for larger ships. Built three times the size of its predecessor, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal opened up a vital waterway for shipping between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. This ambitious project also served as a training ground for the engineers who would later tackle the Panama Canal. Today, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal stands as a testament to the city’s commitment to public health and its ambition to connect with the nation’s heartland.
Congregation Or Torah
Rabbi Zvi Engel’s leadership guides Congregation Or Torah. This impressive Modern Orthodox Synagogue stands proudly in Skokie Illinois. It’s one