Oak Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Continental Divide

Photographed By Sean Flynn

1. Continental Divide Marker

Inscription. You are standing on a Continental Divide. Water falling on this line separates and runs to the west and to the east. To the west the water flows to the Des Plaines River in River Forest, on to the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers and to the Gulf of Mexico. To the east, historically, the flow was to the Chicago River, to Lake Michigan, through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. With the reversal of the flow of the Chicago River in 1900, all water now flows to the Gulf of Mexico.

East of this line is a ridge which is the beach of ancient Lake Chicago. The high, dry ground formed by this ridge encouraged early settlement in Oak Park in 1837.

Only one point along the entire length of the Continental Divide offered the possibility of a direct connection between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds. This point was on a route used by Native Americans for centuries and known to be shared in 1673 with French explorers Fr. Jacques Marquette and fur trader Louis Joliet. Located five miles south of Oak Park, today a portion is preserved as the Chicago Portage National Historic Site. This natural connection also made possible the Illinois and Michigan Canal (completed 1848) and the Sanitary and Ship Canal (completed 1900).

Erected 1999 by Rotary Club of Oak Park and

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Oak Park River Forest Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Exploration • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 41° 53.407′ N, 87° 47.685′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. Marker is at the intersection of Oak Park Avenue and Ontario Street, on the right when traveling south on Oak Park Avenue. The marker is located in the northeast corner of Scoville Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 800 Lake Street, Oak Park IL 60302, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Scoville Park's Designer: Jens Jensen (a few steps from this marker); Peace Triumphant (within shouting distance of this marker); World War I Monument: Peace Triumphant (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park (about 400 feet away); Joseph and Betty Kettlestrings (about 500 feet away); Percy L. Julian (about 500 feet away); Joseph Kettlestrings (about 500 feet away); Unity Temple (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Park.

More about this marker. The back of the marker points toward the two watersheds on either side of the divide. The marker is one of at least four that demarcate

Photographed By Sean Flynn

2. Continental Divide Marker

the Continental Divide's path through Oak Park, including one in Taylor Park, one on Chicago Avenue, and one on Lake Street in downtown Oak Park. The text on all four markers is identical.

Regarding Continental Divide. The "ridge" that makes up the continental divide described here is particularly evident in Scoville Park, where the grass field slopes downward toward the south.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2023, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 101 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 8, 2023, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.