National Register of Historic Places

Hennepin Canal Historic District

Hennepin, Bureau County, Illinois
Listed
May 21, 1978
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78003433

About this property

The Hennepin Canal State Trail, also just called the Hennepin Canal, is an abandoned waterway in northwest Illinois, between the Mississippi River at Rock Island and the Illinois River near Hennepin. The entire canal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Opened in 1907, the canal was soon abandoned because of railroad competition. It was resurrected in the late 20th century as a recreational waterway. Its former name was the Illinois and Mississippi Canal. The main canal length is 75.2 miles (121.0 km), and its feeder canal is 29.3 miles (47.2 km) long. The state park spans five counties (Rock Island, Bureau, Henry, Lee and Whiteside) and is 104.5 miles (168.2 km) long. The Hennepin Canal follows a natural low area between Hennepin and Rock Island. This is actually the ancient channel of the Mississippi River, which at one time flowed from Rock Island to Hennepin, and then south through what is now the Illinois River channel. The Illinoian Stage, about 300,000 to 132,000 years before present day, blocked the Mississippi River near Rock Island, diverting the Mississippi into its modern channel.

Location

Hennepin, Bureau County, Illinois

Categories

COMMERCEECONOMICSENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTSOCIAL HISTORYINVENTION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Questions about this property

When was Hennepin Canal Historic District listed on the National Register?

Hennepin Canal Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Hennepin Canal Historic District?

Hennepin Canal Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hennepin Canal Historic District?

The period of significance for Hennepin Canal Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Hennepin Canal Historic District?

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