Canal Corridor Association offers self-guided tour of historic farms along I&M Canal

The Canal Corridor Association is sponsoring a self-guided tour through the I&M Canal National Heritage area to explore the area’s farms, barns and museums June 28, CCA President Ana Koval said in a news release.

The tour is designed to highlight the important connection between agriculture and the waterway that changed the course of history for Chicago, the Midwest and the country.

Tickets are $25 for adults and free for kids 17 and younger. Tickets can be bought in advance on the CCA website. Tickets include exclusive access to nine locations open throughout the day.

According to the release, during the one-day tour of agricultural and historic sites around northern Illinois, attendees will have behind-the-scenes access to a pumpkin farm, a centennial barn, historical museums, and local food and flower producers. They also will have opportunities to view historical farm implements, see live demonstrations and browse agriculture-related craft products for sale.

“The barns and farms on this tour offer something for everyone, so it will be a great way to spend the day learning about the region’s rich agricultural history at sites only open for this tour,” Donna Theimer, the tour’s lead organizer and volunteer with CCA, said in the release. “This will also be a unique opportunity to meet your local farmers, learn more about how they care for their facilities as well as the beautiful farm architecture, and hear about how these family farms have endured through booms and obstacles for decades. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.”

Ticketed visitors should begin the tour by checking in at either the Dollinger Family Farm, 7420 E. Hansel Road in Channahon, or The Farmacy Farmstand, 7260 Oakbrook Road in Newark, where they will receive entry wristbands and a tour map. Tour sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will occur in rain or shine.

“The opening of the canal in 1848 had a profound impact on agriculture in northeastern Illinois and propelled corn to its pre­eminent status as the major cash crop in this part of the state, a position it has held ever since,” Koval said in the release. “This tour is a great way to relive that history with exclusive access to some of the region’s most picturesque farms – plus, you can enjoy the stores, shops and cafes in canal towns across the tour.”

The I&M Canal National Heritage area promotes the economic development, culture, heritage and stories of the region and communities that owe their growth to the canal. Designated by Congress in 1984 as the first National Heritage area in America, the I&M Canal follows its historic route from Chicago through 60 communities across north-central Illinois to La Salle-Peru, connecting Lake Michigan to the Illinois River.

Those interested in exploring the I&M Canal also may visit iandmcanal.org to explore suggested day trips to the National Heritage area, curating opportunities to engage with the region’s history, culture and recreational resources.