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Building Sanitary and Ship Canal
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Water-Strategic Statehood
Illinois is established as a state. Its northern boundary is extended to include the southwestern trip of Lake Michigan, so that a proposed canal connecting the Mississippi River and Great Lakes can be constructed entirely within the state. -
Chicago's First Anti-Pollution Ordinance
Chicago is incorporated as a city and attemps to protect its drinking water and prevent offensive odors. Under the terms of ordinance, citizens are forbidden to use river as a receptacle for "dung, dead, putrid meat, decayed vegetables, or any other offensive substance". -
The Intial Connection
The state of Illinois begins construction on the Illinois & Michigan Canal (I&M). It opens in 1848. -
Raising the City
As Chicago's population grows, it expands sewer system to handle the increasing waste dumped into the Chicago River. City begins to raise level of streets to accomodate new infrastructure. -
River Becomes Sewer
As Union Stock Yard and Transit Co. opened along South Branch of Chicago river, it became center of meat-packing industry. Animal waste from "The Yards" was dumped in the river and transformed into into a thick, putrid water bubbling with methane. -
Public Health Crisis
After years of sewage contamination in Lake Michigan, a rainfall lasted 19 hours and dumped 5 1/2 inches of waters throughout Chicago. Sewers overflow, flooding the city and wide-spread fear of cholera and typhoid outrbroke. -
New Infrastructure Plan
The Illinois General Assembly established the Sanitary District of Chicago to implement the construction of 28-mile Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. -
A Change In Direction
The CSSC opens, reversing the flow of Chicago River. Chicago's sewage now travels away from Lake Michigan.