Along the Calumet River (Images of America) Cynthia L. Ogorek

Arcadia Publishing (2004)

ISBN 0738533440

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (3/06)

The Calumet River wanders through northwest Indiana and northeast Illinois. More than 90 miles long, the rivers watershed includes nearly 600 square miles. This complex water system has both influenced human lifestyle and been affected by mankinds choices.

Ogorek begins her account of the Calumet River before bridges spanned the water. The Potawatomi and Miami Indians patterned their lives after the seasons along the meandering river. Early settlers passed through believing the land unsuitable for farming. But in the early to mid-1800s, people pioneered the area, building log cabins and houses. They platted small towns and established businesses. Soon movable and high-clearance bridges spanned the navigable waters of the Calumet. Hunting and fishing, sugaring and farming provided food and marketable goods.

After the Civil War, industry boomed along the banks. Steel mills, produce processing factories, and refineries provided jobs. Railroad bridges crossed the waters to carry goods to and from Chicago. The rivers waters were redirected into ditches and channels and harbors as even shipyards prospered. The industrial growth and wealth led to urbanization and highway systems that again reshaped the rivers path. Pollution and flooding became major issues.

Despite the manmade woes plaguing the Calumet River, people still used it for entertainment and recreation. Past and current clean-up and preservation efforts protect the river culture while maintaining a thriving waterway.

As a graduate student I traveled from South Bend, Indiana, to Wheaton, Illinois, regularly. In the book, I recognized many names like Burns Harbor and Cal-Sag Channel, which served as landmarks telling me how many miles until I reached home. I enjoyed viewing the historical pictures and drawings of the Calumet River region.

Ogoreks book is part of the Images of America series and an important documentation of the history and development of the Calumet River. She presents the past as a collection of pictures with lengthy captions providing easy and interesting reading. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or the environment. School libraries of the northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana regions would also benefit.