Monday, October 20, 2014

I&M Canal NHC at 30: Marseilles

Continuing west on the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor we reach Marseilles. The LaSalle County town was named for France's second largest city. Our Marseilles was founded in 1835, the locals pronounce it "Mar-sales."


This is one of the two Marseilles murals I found. This one includes the canal path and the I&M Canal, which was dry when I was there two weeks ago. I also saw the Marseilles Montage, a much more detailed wall painting, but when the sun was at a bad angle for me when I tried to take a photograph of it.


The Doc Sutton Clock on Main Street. Sutton, although he was never a Major League Baseball player, seems to have been the Moonlight Graham of Marseilles.


That's a canal, but not the I&M, it's the North Mill Race, a semi-circle canal constructed to supply power for a hydroelectric plant that closed in 1989.


That's the old Marseilles Hydro-Plant, which is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.


A cyclist rides west on the old towpath trail.


In the distance you can see the old power plant. This photograph was taken from the south bank of the Illinois River at Illini State Park. I don't know what those cylindrical objects in the river are, although there is a lock just upriver from them.


Illini is pretty much just a big campground and picnic area, albeit a first-rate one. It consists of a onetime golf course and a former youth correctional facility.


There are some structures at Illini State Park built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers, including this one.


As well as this concession stand.


Back to town--the old Marseilles Rock Island Line train station/


The little red caboose is the home of the Illinois River Area Chamber of Commerce.

Next: The Middle East Conflict Wall Memorial

Earlier I&M Canal NHC at 30: posts:

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