I&M Canal National Heritage Area

I&M Canal National Heritage Area The Area encompasses 862 sq. miles, five counties, and 57 communities.

The Canal Corridor Association is designated by Congress as the local coordinating entity for the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area, the America’s first national heritage area. The I&M Canal National Heritage Area was the first of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. The Canal Corridor Association is the local c

oordinating entity for the IMCNHA, but it is the Canal Alliance that works to achieve the vision, mission, and goals of the national heritage corridor.

06/12/2026

Weather looks great this weekend. Where you "gonne be?" ☀️

Need ideas? Pick up a La Salle County History Passport at any of these 12 destinations:
• I&M Canal Visitor Center
• I&M Canal Boat
• 1st Lincoln Douglas Debate Site (at Ottawa Illinois Visitors Center)
• Hegeler Carus Mansion
• Illinois Waterway Visitor Center
• LaSalle County Historical Society Museum
• Norsk Museum
• Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum
• Reddick Mansion Association
• Seattle Sutton Marseilles Museum
• Seneca Area Heritage Museum (Seneca Historical Guild)
• Westclox Museum

You can also get it stamped while you're at these sites. Get 10 stamps or more and send your passport back to us. You'll be eligible to win our monthly drawings starting soon and running through 2027.

Thanks to Live It Up La Salle for the first photo.

La Salle Business Association • City of LaSalle, Illinois • Enjoy LaSalle County, IL - Home of Starved Rock • Heritage Corridor Destinations

192 years ago this week, the plans for Joliet were recorded... only the name submitted wasn't Joliet. 🤔It was JULIET. 😮T...
06/12/2026

192 years ago this week, the plans for Joliet were recorded... only the name submitted wasn't Joliet. 🤔

It was JULIET. 😮

The plat laid out the streets and public spaces that would become the foundation of today's Joliet, helping shape a community that would grow alongside the Illinois & Michigan Canal and play an important role in Illinois history.

The name wouldn't change to Joliet until 1845, when residents chose to honor French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet. But hey, "what's in a name," amiright? 🌹

There are a lot of stories out there about why it was named "Juliet." What have you heard? What do you believe?

Joliet Area Historical Museum

There's still time to volunteer... 🛟Join us as an I&M Canal Boat docent. But don't wait too long. We're getting ready to...
06/10/2026

There's still time to volunteer... 🛟

Join us as an I&M Canal Boat docent. But don't wait too long. We're getting ready to finalize our volunteer schedule for the season.

As a docent, you'll welcome visitors aboard, help open and close the boat, and oversee the experience as guests explore this unique piece of Illinois history.

No canal expertise required. We'll provide everything you need to be successful. Volunteer shifts are flexible, with opportunities available Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 am-12 pm and 1-2 pm.

Help bring this special experience to life while spending time aboard one of the most recognizable symbols of the I&M Canal.

Interested? Learn more and sign up here: https://iandmcanal.org/boattour

Note: The boat will not leave the dock.

Meet the Chef behind our Café 🍽️If you've enjoyed a meal at Lock 16 Café, there's a good chance it was prepared by Chef ...
06/05/2026

Meet the Chef behind our Café 🍽️

If you've enjoyed a meal at Lock 16 Café, there's a good chance it was prepared by Chef Jacque.

Known for her homemade soups, daily specials and commitment to quality ingredients, Chef Jacque brings creativity, care and plenty of flavor to everything that comes out of the kitchen. Whether you're stopping in for breakfast, a hearty lunch, a fresh salad, a sandwich piled high with local favorites or a sweet treat, she's made the Lock 16 Cafe and Visitor Center a destination all its own.

Located along the historic I&M Canal in downtown La Salle, our café is the perfect place to relax, refuel and enjoy a meal with a view after exploring the canal. Stop by, say hello to Chef Jacque and see what's cooking.

📍 754 First Street, LaSalle
🗓️ Wed-Sun • 8 am - 4 pm
🍽️ See our menu here: https://iandmcanal.org/lock16cafe

It's the oldest gym in the United States and this weekend is your last chance to tour it for the season. 🏋️‍♀️The 150-ye...
06/05/2026

It's the oldest gym in the United States and this weekend is your last chance to tour it for the season. 🏋️‍♀️

The 150-year-old Hegeler Carus Mansion is a modern wonder, and one of those wonders is its two story, two-rooms-wide home "gymnasium" in which everything in it–from the decor to the equipment–is absolutely original.

See this true luxury of the time (and even of today) on the mansion's Cover to Cover Tour, a guided adventure that begins in the Reception Room and leads you into areas of the home both public and private, including the 7th floor Cupola. The last Cover to Cover tours of the season are at 12:30 pm on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 (though the Main Story tour and others will still be running). So make sure to add this outing to your weekend plans: https://www.hegelercarus.org/visit

And while you're there pick up a La Salle County History Passport—a guide to sights across the county—and get it stamped. Then visit the guidebook’s other sites (12 total), and collect stamps along the way. Once completed, send it in to be eligible for monthly drawings running through 2027.

📍 1307 7th Street, La Salle
📘 Passports available at participating locations
🔗 https://iandmcanal.org/passport

🙋 "Wait... you're doing what?"What exactly is the American Discovery Trail? Why is a copy of the Declaration of Independ...
06/03/2026

🙋 "Wait... you're doing what?"

What exactly is the American Discovery Trail? Why is a copy of the Declaration of Independence traveling across the country? How does the I&M Canal fit into a 6,800-mile coast-to-coast journey? And how can you get involved?

We've rounded up answers to the questions we're hearing most often—including details on becoming a baton carrier or volunteer as well as dates, routes and more.

Check out the FAQ and get the scoop on this once-in-a-generation relay making its way through the I&M Canal National Heritage Area this October. Then go sign up! (link is in the FAQ)

🔗 https://bit.ly/IMRelayFAQ

See you at breakfast? Café opens at 8 am.🏢 , inside the I&M Canal Visitor Center 📍 754 First Street, LaSalle🗓️ Wed-Sun⏰ ...
05/30/2026

See you at breakfast? Café opens at 8 am.

🏢 , inside the I&M Canal Visitor Center
📍 754 First Street, LaSalle
🗓️ Wed-Sun
⏰ 8 am - 4 pm
🍽️ See our menu here: https://iandmcanal.org/lock16cafe

Specials every day!

We Need You 🫵 Volunteer on the Volunteer!This summer, our new dockside canal boat experience can only happen with the he...
05/27/2026

We Need You 🫵 Volunteer on the Volunteer!

This summer, our new dockside canal boat experience can only happen with the help of volunteers — and we’re looking for friendly faces to welcome visitors aboard.

As an I&M Canal Boat docent, you’ll help open and close the boat, greet guests and oversee the experience while visitors explore this unique piece of Illinois history.

Good news: You do not need to be a historian or canal expert.

Volunteer shifts are flexible. We are currently looking to fill Wednesdays-Sundays from 11 am–12 pm and 1–2 pm during this special America 250 and IL250 season.

Interested? Learn more or sign up here: https://iandmcanal.org/boattour

This Memorial Day, we remember the countless Americans who answered the call to serve — including the thousands of worke...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember the countless Americans who answered the call to serve — including the thousands of workers in the small Illinois river town of Seneca who helped build the ships that carried that fight across the world. 🇺🇸

During World War II, the Illinois River became an unlikely route to the ocean as 157 enormous Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) were built at the Prairie Shipyard in Seneca and sent downriver toward the Gulf of Mexico and eventually into battle.

These ships and the people who built and served aboard them played a vital role in some of World War II’s most important invasions, carrying troops, tanks and supplies directly onto beaches in Europe and the Pacific.

To learn more about Seneca’s Prairie Shipyard and its remarkable wartime story, visit the Seneca Area Heritage Museum (Seneca Historical Guild) or check out this Substack article we wrote: https://bit.ly/IMShipyardOnPrairie

Memorial Day Weekend is here — and if you’re looking for a fun outing, the I&M Canal National Heritage Area has plenty t...
05/22/2026

Memorial Day Weekend is here — and if you’re looking for a fun outing, the I&M Canal National Heritage Area has plenty to explore. ☀️⛴️

Here are ideas for spending time in La Salle County:

☕ Stop by Lock 16 Cafe and Visitor Center for scratch-made breakfast or lunch, fresh baked goods and coffee drinks
🏛️ Explore the I&M Canal Visitor Center exhibits and gift shop
📍 Pick up a La Salle County History Passport and start visiting historic sites throughout the county
🚶 Take a walk along the canal and enjoy the start of summer

Plan your visit: https://iandmcanal.org

📸 Photo of visitor center with passport by Live It Up La Salle

Address

754 1st Street
La Salle, IL
61301

Telephone

+18152201848

Website

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