Abraham Lincoln & The I&M Canal
An Advocate & An Ally
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Canal Stories, a series brought to you by the Canal Corridor Association to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the communities that were shaped by its legacy. Since 2008, the Canal Corridor Association has offered I&M Canal Boat Tours to history buffs of all ages. This unique, 1-hour experience allows guests the opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of 1840s travelers as they glide along the canal on a mule-pulled replica packet boat, taking in the gorgeous scenery and learning about the rich history of the I&M Canal.
This Saturday, July 1st, a very special guest will be making an appearance on two of the tours (1PM & 2:30 PM): none other than former Illinois Congressman, and avid canal supporter, Abraham Lincoln. Today, we’ll be preparing for Honest Abe’s visit by examining his history with the I&M Canal and the role he played in its creation.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE I&M CANAL
Throughout his public life, Abraham Lincoln advocated for improvements to the nation’s transportation network, including a canal system that would be tied to the harbors, rivers and roadways of America. He believed the waterways held the key to success, advancing the economic development of his home state, as well as the entire nation. As a legislator, an attorney, and the President of the United States, Lincoln actively supported the construction, use, and expansion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
FLOATING ON THE RIVERS
As a young man, Lincoln watched as freight slowly moved along the dirt trails and rivers of America. In 1828, at the age of nineteen, he set off on his first journey away from his boyhood home in Spencer County, Indiana. Hired by a merchant from Rockport, Indiana, Lincoln manned a flatboat that moved goods down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to the markets of New Orleans, Louisiana. He faced many difficulties on the crudely built flatboat, which was essentially a glorified raft that floated at the mercy of the unpredictable rivers. Upon arriving at their destination, Lincoln and his crewmates broke up the vessel and sold it for its lumber, along with their freight. The crew then made the return journey on foot.
A year after moving to a small farm along the Sangamon River in Illinois, Lincoln again floated on a flatboat down the rivers to New Orleans in 1831. The two voyages contributed to the young man’s knowledge of water transport, and strengthened his belief in the value of transportation improvements.
VOTING FOR THE CANAL
While serving in the Illinois General Assembly, Representative Abraham Lincoln, along with eight of his colleagues, addressed two of the state’s pressing problems: the deteriorating capital in Vandalia and the slow development of northeastern Illinois. Some historians argue that legislators from Sangamon County, known as “the Long Nine,” because of their height, swapped votes with northern legislators. In this act of so-called “horse trading,” the Long Nine would lobby for the construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal in exchange for northern legislators’ support of the capital’s move to Springfield. Given his experiences on the rivers, Lincoln was receptive to the idea of a canal that would connect the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico through northeastern Illinois. In the end, the state capital moved to Springfield, and the I&M Canal was constructed.
ADVOCATING FOR THE CANAL
Congressman Abraham Lincoln sought Federal funds for transportation improvements throughout the nation. He proudly announced the opening of the I&M Canal in 1848, saying, “That Canal first opened for business last April. In a very few days, we were all gratified to learn, among other things, that sugar had been carried from New Orleans through this canal to Buffalo in New York. This sugar took this route, doubtless because it was cheaper than the old route. Supposing the benefit of the reduction in the cost of carriage to be shared between the seller and the buyer, the result is, that the New Orleans merchant sold his sugar a little dearer; and the people of Buffalo sweetened their coffee a little cheaper, than before – a benefit resulting from the canal, not to Illinois where the canal is, but to Louisiana and New York where it is not.” Lincoln argued that federally funded canals and roads in a few states might seem unequal, but the entire nation ultimately benefited.
WORKING FOR THE CANAL
As a lawyer in private practice, Abraham Lincoln remained involved in the affairs of the I&M Canal. The Illinois General Assembly appointed Lincoln to a special commission in 1852, which was tasked with gathering information about claims against the state resulting from the construction and operation of the I&M Canal. Lincoln and the other special commissioners traveled along the canal, interviewing claimants and witnesses in the Cook, Will, and LaSalle county courthouses. By the end of the year, they had written a report for the Governor.
In the following year, the I&M Canal Board of Trustees hired Lincoln to sway opinion against a specific legislation. The bill would compensate two politically-connected mill owners, whose claims had been rejected by the special commission on which Lincoln had served. Lincoln’s lobbying efforts helped defeat the bill.
TRAVELING ON THE CANAL
Over the years, Abraham Lincoln visited communities along the I&M Canal, including Chicago, Joliet, Ottawa, and LaSalle. Unfortunately, it was not always recorded how he traveled from one canal town to the next. History suggests that the Lincoln family traveled on the canal for the first time in October of 1848, upon their return from Congress. Because roads were poor and the railroads had not yet been built, the canal was the best way to travel from Chicago to LaSalle. As advocate for the canal, Lincoln probably made a second trip from LaSalle to Ottawa in December of 1852, to take depositions at the LaSalle County Courthouse.
Local lore holds that Lincoln also visited Lockport, which was the headquarters of the I&M Canal, and that he might have dined at the home of Canal Engineer William Gooding in the late 1850s. As political allies, Lincoln and Gooding exchanged numerous letters. Gooding found Lincoln to be an “upright, honest, and straightforward man.”
EXPANDING THE CANAL
As President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln’s goal was to preserve the Union.
He advocated for improvements to the nation’s transportation system in order to move troops and supplies. Since the Confederacy blocked the lower Mississippi River, more freight and passengers tended to travel through Illinois. In his annual messages to Congress in 1861 and 1862, Lincoln specifically included improvements to the I&M Canal. The proposed canal enlargement would have allowed warships to travel between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. It also could have permitted a greater amount of freight shipped through the canal between the upper Mississippi River region and the eastern United States. Congress did not approve the project, but Lincoln’s proposal laid the foundation for the construction of the Illinois Waterway System, which we use today.
Abraham Lincoln believed that the I&M Canal promoted the settlement and growth of northern Illinois. Ultimately, the canal made a once small settlement, Chicago, thrive and become a major transportation and economic center for the entire nation. While the importance of the I&M Canal has been recognized by historians, Lincoln’s influence upon it has been often overlooked.
That concludes today’s Canal Story. Thank you so much for joining us as we continue our journey through the history of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, pass it along to your family and friends, and don’t forget to check out iandmcanal.org to reserve your seat for this weekend’s Learn With Lincoln Boat Tour. We’ll see you again very soon.