Program
The Chicago River and Lake Michigan: Confused Waters
Through the years, the land and water around Chicago have been radically altered. In 1900, the river was reversed. Meanwhile, Michigan Avenue by Grant Park used to be lakefront property! Join us as we explore the ebb and flow of our celebrated lake and river.
Standing at upper Wacker Drive and Columbus, it’s always astonishing to remember that before 1803, you would be wading in Lake Michigan. The modifications that have been made to the Chicago River have included dredging, channeling, damming, tunneling, legal decisions and breaching it at its South Branch headwaters to flow away from Lake Michigan. Likewise, we have altered the shoreline of Lake Michigan and struggled with it as it fluctuated about six feet from a record low in 2013 to a record high in 2022.
Speaker: Kevin Griebenow
Kevin is a civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience inspecting and assessing the safety of dams. A CAC docent since 1993, Kevin leads tours for guests of all ages. He has given presentations on structural engineering, innovations in construction materials, the construction and engineering feats of the 1893 World’s Fair and the design history of dams.