Did you know Chicago’s maritime history extends far beyond Navy Pier? The Port of Chicago Lake Calumet Harbor is a testament to this. It is a vital hub connecting the Midwest to global markets.
Welcome to the Port of Chicago Lake Calumet Harbor. This isn’t just any port. It’s a multimodal facility linking inland waterways to the Great Lakes. This connection gives access to the St. Lawrence Seaway. It also links the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. This is done via the Illinois Waterway and the Mississippi River.
In 1921, Illinois authorized a deep-water port at Lake Calumet. This was to relieve congestion on the Chicago River. Today, massive freighters and barges move millions of tons of materials here annually. They bypass the city to unload steel, grain and rock at the Port of Chicago.
The Illinois International Port District oversees the Port of Chicago. It was created in 1951. The district can acquire any navigable waters within its area. This power was challenged in court but upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court.
The Port of Chicago boasts impressive facilities. These include the Iroquois Landing Lakefront Terminal. It has 190 acres of warehouses and over 8 million square feet of storage. The Lake Calumet terminal features transit sheds and extensive berthing space. It also has grain storage for 14 million bushels. Plus, it offers liquid bulk storage for 800000 barrels.
The port officially opened in 1958. This was before the St. Lawrence Seaway dedication in 1959. Union Tank Car later created a deep-water turning basin. They also built liquid storage tanks.
The port includes the Senator Dan Dougherty Harbor at Lake Calumet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains it. The Iroquois Landing is another key part of the Port of Chicago. It handles shipping container processing and storage. It has direct trucking and rail access.
One unusual sight was the C.T.C. No. 1. This 620-foot cargo hauler arrived in 1982. It stored and transferred cement until 2009. Since then, it hasn’t moved.
The Illinois International Port District also manages Foreign Trade Zone No. 22. It spans eight counties. The district maintains land for future developments around the Calumet zone.
The Port of Chicago handles diverse cargo from around the globe. This includes building materials and raw resources. Its location is key with access to railways and highways. Eastern railroads terminate in Chicago. Rail lines run west, north and south from the city.
Though there have been proposals to dissolve the district, it remains a vital economic engine. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning studies the port. This is to find solutions for it to operate successfully.
Today, the Port of Chicago moves more general cargo than any other Great Lakes port. It handles over 19 million tons annually. It maintains Chicago’s place among the top ports in the nation. The Port of Chicago truly brings world markets to Chicago’s doorstep.