Forest View in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Chicago Portage Timeline

Photographed by Lou Donkle, February 9, 2024

1. Chicago Portage Timeline Marker

Inscription.

Chicago Portage Timeline. . , ca. 14,000 to 12,000 years ago - Glacial Lake Chicago drains through the Chicago outlet , ca. 12,000 years ago - First humans in the Midwest , ca. 4,000 years ago - The Nipissing Stage of the Great Lakes drains through the Chicago outlet finally setting Lake Michigan at the modern elevation of 580 feet, 1500 , 1534 - Jacques Cartier begins the French colonization of North America, 1600 , 1634 - Explorer Jean Nicollet is the first known European to discover. Lake Michigan and what is now the state of Wisconsin , 1613 - Father Marquette and Louis Jolliet cross the Chicago Portage Jolliet proposes a canal., 1700 , 1779 - Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable moves to Chicago and establishes a trading post , 1783 - England officially cedes region to the U.S. , 1785 - Battles to displace the American Indians from this region begin (Northwest Indian War) , 1795 - Treaty of Greenville endsNorthwestIndian War and deeds six square miles by the mouth of the Chicago River., 1800 , 1803 - Fort Dearborn construction begins to protect the PortageJohn Kinziemoves into Point Du Sable's ,trading house , 1812 - Fort Dearborn is burned as one of the first acts of the War of 18 12 , 1815 - The end of the War of 18 12 results in the British leaving the Northwest Territory. , - - - - Illinois becomes a state. The northern border was moved north to ensure that all of the proposed canal will be in Illinois. , 1816 - The second Fort Dearborn is constructed. , - - - - Treaty of St. Louis negotiated. Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Ojibwe tribes cede the Portage corridor from Lake Michigan to Ottawa, IL. , 1818 - Illinois becomes a state. The northern border was moved north to ensure that all of the proposed canal will be in Illinois. , - - - - Gurdon Hubbard arrives in Chicago and crosses the Chicago Portage for the first time. , 1827 - Laughton Trading Post opens , 1836 - I&M Canal construction begins , 1848 - I&M Canal completed , 1866 - I&M Canal brings in over $300,000in tolls, the most ever , 1882 - Over 1 million tons of cargo moves through the I&M Canal, the most ever , 1900 , 1900 - Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal completed. , 1915 - Forest Preserve District of Cook County created , 1929 - Portage Woods Forest Preserves acquired from the Chicago Sanitary District , 1933 - Illinois Waterway opens I&M Canal closes 1952 Chicago Portage designated a National Historic Site , 1984 - Congress designates the I&M Canal as the nation's first National Heritage Corridor, For more canal information or other canal sites to visit, go to IandMCanal.org. , Learn more about Chicago Portage at ChicagoPortage.org. , Photo: Joe Balynas ,

ca. 14,000 to 12,000 years ago - Glacial Lake Chicago drains through the Chicago outlet
ca. 12,000 years ago - First humans in the Midwest
ca. 4,000 years ago - The Nipissing Stage of the Great Lakes drains through the Chicago outlet finally setting Lake Michigan at the modern elevation of 580 feet

1500
1534 - Jacques Cartier begins the French colonization of North America

1600
1634 - Explorer Jean Nicollet is the first known European to discover. Lake Michigan and what is now the state of Wisconsin
1613 - Father Marquette and Louis Jolliet cross the Chicago Portage Jolliet proposes a canal.

1700
1779 - Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable moves to Chicago and establishes a trading post
1783 - England officially cedes region to the U.S.
1785 - Battles to displace the American Indians from this region begin (Northwest Indian War)
1795 - Treaty of Greenville endsNorthwestIndian War and deeds six square miles by the mouth of the Chicago River.

1800
1803 - Fort Dearborn construction begins to protect the PortageJohn Kinziemoves into Point Du Sable's ,trading house
1812 - Fort Dearborn is burned as one of the first acts of the War of 1812
1815 - The end of the War of 1812 results in the British leaving the Northwest Territory.
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- - - Illinois becomes a state. The northern border was moved north to ensure that all of the proposed canal will be in Illinois.
1816 - The second Fort Dearborn is constructed.
- - - - Treaty of St. Louis negotiated. Potawatomi,* Ottawa, and Ojibwe tribes cede the Portage corridor from Lake Michigan to Ottawa, IL.
1818 - Illinois becomes a state. The northern border was moved north to ensure that all of the proposed canal will be in Illinois.
- - - - Gurdon Hubbard arrives in Chicago and crosses the Chicago Portage for the first time.
1827 - Laughton Trading Post opens
1836 - I&M Canal construction begins
1848 - I&M Canal completed
1866 - I&M Canal brings in over $300,000in tolls, the most ever
1882 - Over 1 million tons of cargo moves through the I&M Canal, the most ever

1900
1900 - Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal completed.
1915 - Forest Preserve District of Cook County created
1929 - Portage Woods Forest Preserves acquired from the Chicago Sanitary District
1933 - Illinois Waterway opens I&M Canal closes 1952 Chicago Portage designated a National Historic Site
1984 - Congress designates the I&M Canal as the nation's first National Heritage Corridor

For more canal information or other canal sites to visit, go to IandMCanal.org.
Learn more about Chicago Portage at ChicagoPortage.org.
Photo:

Marker is at the left end of the National Historic Site statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Lou Donkle, February 9, 2024

2. Marker is at the left end of the National Historic Site statue

Joe Balynas

Erected by Cook County Forest Preserve District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Exploration • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1500.

Location. 41° 48.312′ N, 87° 48.164′ W. Marker is in Forest View, Illinois, in Cook County. It can be reached from the intersection of South Harlem Avenue (Illinois Route 43) and Portage Trail, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4800 S Harlem Ave, Berwyn IL 60402, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Chicago Portage National Historic Site (a few steps from this marker); Portage Creek Passage (within shouting distance of this marker); The Chicago Portage (within shouting distance of this marker); The Chicago Portage Site at the Forest Preserves of Cook County (within shouting distance of this marker); The Chicago Portage: A History of People and Travel (within shouting distance of this marker); Chicago Trades on its Natural Advantages (within shouting distance of this marker); Portage Passage (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); 09.11.2001 (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Forest View.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 22, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 272 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 20, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.