History blog from Pat Camalliere Books- Staying Alive Is a Lot of Work: Me and My Cancer now available from Eckhartz Press October 24, 2024I’m so happy to be able to tell you that you can now order Staying Alive Is a Lot of Work: Me and My Cancer, through Eckhartz Press! The QR code at the bottom of the page will take you … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- New Memoir Will Be Available Soon September 10, 2024You are receiving this notice for one of two reasons: You are one of my blog subscribers, or you have met me at a recent event and asked to be notified when my memoir is available. That day is fast … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- For Halloween: The Ghosts of the Quarries! October 26, 2023Halloween is almost here! A good time to rell you about the Ghosts of the Quarries! Ghost hunters sometimes describe a phenomenon called the “stone tape theory.” The theory proposes that certain rocks have the ability to imprint—or “record” —energy … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- Submarines on the Chicago Sanitary Canal – No kidding! September 18, 2023My last post revealed some amazing information about the building of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. If you missed that post, you can read it here: The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal | Pat Camalliere – The Cora Tozzi … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal August 6, 2023In last month’s blog, I spoke about the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and its tremendous importance to not only the Chicago area and Illinois, but to the opening to settlement of the entire United States west of … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- Illinois and Michigan Canal Celebrates 175th Anniversary. July 6, 2023In April of 1848, the I & M Canal officially opened. From April of 2023 through March of 2024, the I & M Canal Corridor Association is having a year-long celebration of this event. Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- The Des Plaines River June 6, 2023I get excited when I talk about Lemont’s waterways, because they are so important not only to the growth of Chicago, but to westward expansion across the entire continent. The only place all these important waterways come together is Lemont. … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- Train Wreck in Lemont, July 1905 May 9, 2023Last month’s post was about a train wreck in Lemont on the Alton-Chicago Railroad in 1873. Today we continue the subject of train wrecks with the Santa Fe derailment that also occurred in Lemont in 1905. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- Lemont Train Wreck: August 16, 1873 April 17, 2023Is history repeating itself? Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- Admiral Dewey and the Battle of the Sanitary Canal March 1, 2023The I & M Canal had been a tremendous success in opening up shipping and transportation between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. However, during dry periods the level wasn’t sufficient to float the barges and boats, and during heavy … Continue reading →Pat Camalliere
- Staying Alive Is a Lot of Work: Me and My Cancer now available from Eckhartz Press October 24, 2024
Author Archives: Pat Camalliere
Lemont Street Cars
I find it amazing that, over a hundred years ago, before the automobile was in general use, transportation to and from Lemont offered more options than today. In the year 1905, for example, the following options were available: A few … Continue reading
Posted in Lemont History
Tagged electric train, History, horse car, Lemont, railroad, street cars, transportation, trolley cars
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Lemont and Chicago’s Lincoln Park
Did you know that land and plants from Lemont went into the creation of Chicago’s Lincoln Park? And that you can walk the Keepataw Trail that traversed through that property? On the north bluff of the Des Plaines River Valley, … Continue reading
Posted in Lemont History
Tagged Chicago, Lemont, Lincoln Park, local history, Waterfall Glen
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The Women of Smokey Row
Of the hundred or so “establishments” that composed Lemont’s Smokey Row between 1893 and 1897, some called themselves saloons, clubs, gambling halls, brothels, or dance halls. Typically, in addition to liquor and gambling, women were part of the “trade”, and entertainment … Continue reading
Posted in Lemont History
Tagged History, Lemont, local, Smokey Row, women
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Local History – Lemont’s Smokey Row, Beginnings and Growth
News I thought I’d lead off with the picture I promised you of my new granddaughter, Mia Elena. She is 15 days old today, and was 5 days old when this picture was taken. Grandma is very proud, of course, … Continue reading
Illinois, The Sucker State
You probably recognize Illinois’s state nickname as, The Land of Lincoln. That’s what you read on coins and auto license plates, right? Perhaps you also recognize Illinois as The Prairie State. What you may not know is that … Continue reading
Posted in Lemont History
Tagged Illinois, local history, new grand daughter, Sucker State
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Lemont Waterways: The Cal Sag Channel
So here’s the bottom line. After almost 80 years and three generations of effort to improve the Chicago waterways, to allow for adequate flow away from Chicago and Lake Michigan, to ensure water levels that would not allow flow back … Continue reading
Submarines on the Chicago Sanitary Canal
When I was in high school, boys said they took their girl to watch submarine races, meaning they went “necking”. After you read this you may wonder if this is how that old saying got started. Today I’m talking about … Continue reading
Posted in Lemont History
Tagged Chicago, Lemont, Lockport, Sanitary Canal, submarines, WWII
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Lemont Waterways – Admiral Dewey and the Battle of the Ship Canal
I promised you a story about the opening of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The truth is, not everyone was in favor of the canal. St. Louis filed a lawsuit in 1899 to prevent the opening, fearing it … Continue reading
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Tagged Admiral Dewey, Illinois, local history, Lockport dam, Sanitary Canal
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Lemont Waterways: The Sanitary Canal
Picture of men in crane basket during construction of the Canal in Lemont, 1895. Photo courtesy the Lemont Area Historical Society. This is my favorite canal—okay, I know—that’s strange, to have a favorite canal. But what a canal! The ambition … Continue reading
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The I & M Canal – Part Two
The Lemont section of the I & M canal was dug initially by French and Irish men who were recruited from Canada, where jobs for unskilled laborers were scarce. Later they were joined by Irish and German immigrants. Irish men … Continue reading
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