P-065 Mississippi-Illinois River Canal (Hennepin Canal) Construction Photographs

This album of cyanotype prints documents the early construction of the Mississippi and Illinois River Canal, also known as the Hennepin Canal. Each image comes with explanatory captions on the back side. The images document the first months of construction on the Mississippi and Illinois River Canal, commonly known as the Hennepin Canal. The construction pictured is near the Mississippi and Rock rivers while working on Lock 36 and Lock 37. The prints cover much of the construction involved in building canals in the 19th century, and include portrayals of excavation and dredge work, extension and widening of rivers work on Carr Island (in the western portion of the Rock River), use of dynamite in lock building, pile driving, construction on concrete abutments, and other equipment and processes involved. Also included are images of the camps of workers and engineers. Each image is captioned with a date and description of the image, often including names of identifiable workers and engineers. Most of the images show actual construction, including the extension and widening of rivers, massive excavation and dredge work, work around Carr Island in the far western portion of the Rock River, the construction of embankments, and the use of dynamite to begin the lock building process. Other photographs show piling and pile driving, the camps of the workers, and completed cuts. The captions each note the month in which photographs are taken, and often name in the engineer in charge of the work and contractor.
St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis

Pages

Image 10: December 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal. View of Erub. and abutment on south shore Carr’s Island. December 1892.
Image 11: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal. View of the back of abutment south shore Carr’s Island. October 1892
Image 12: September 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal. Construction of concrete abuts. for dams. Filling last form of abutment north shore Rock River September 1892
Image 13: February 1893
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal. Excavating and driving piles at Lock #37, outlet lock into the Miss. River. A. J. Whitney – Contractor F.S.H. – Engr. in charge Taken Feb. 1893
Image 14: December 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 2nd mile section View of a section of finished work looking east from cross-bank Grade of bottom 118.0 left-bank 134.0 right bank 131.5, banks are 8ft on top slopes 1 ½ to 1, bottom of canal 59.0 ft. Water-line 80ft. Depth of water is to be 7 feet. A.C. Glass – sub-contractor of this section F.S.H. – Engineer in charge. Taken Dec. 1892
Image 15: December 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 1st mile section View looking east from Lock #37. Canal prism partly finished. J.H. Flick – sub-contractor F.S.H. – Engr. in charge Taken in Dec. 1892
Image 16: December 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 1st mile section View of finished work looking west from cross-bank. Mr. Keane – sub-contractor F.S.H. – Engr. in charge Taken Dec. 1892
Image 17: September 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal Construction of concrete abutments for dams. Forms ready to fill. South shore Carr’s Island. September, 1892
Image 18: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 5th mile Commencement of the North River Erub. U.S. Govt. work. JW. Woermann – Engr. in charge October 1892
Image 19: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal Sear’s Camp at Guard Lock. October 1892
Image 1: December 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal. Extending north river Erub. by means of cars run out on floating barge Erub. in Rock River. December 1892
Image 20: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 1st mile section Excavating in canal prism at beginning of 2nd mile. Mr. Keane – sub-contractor F.S.H. – Engr. in charge Taken Oct. 1892
Image 21: November 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal Exc. At Lock #37 Steamer A.J. Whiney in distance Taken Nov. 1892 by J.W. Woermann F.S.H. – Engr. in charge
Image 22: September 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal Construction of abutments for dams. Filling the forms of the abut. on south side Carr’s Island September 1892
Image 23: December 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 3rd mile section View of Shapland’s Camp. A. O. Rowse – Engr. in charge Taken Dec. 1892
Image 24: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal View of traps for loading wagons with wheel scrapers. Construction River Erubs. U.S. Govt work. October 1892
Image 25: October 7, 1893
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: Loading cars with wheel scrapers. 4th & 5th mile, October 7 1893
Image 26: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal Rock excavation at the Guard Lock (head of rapids) U.S. Govt work David Sears – contractor J.W. Woermann – Engr. in charge October 1892
Image 27: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal Exc. At Lock #37 View of pit just after dredge went out and coffer-dam was put in. Pump-house at end of pit. Steamer A.J. Whitney in Rock River to right. Taken Oct. 1892 by J.W.W. F.S.H. – Engr. in charge
Image 28: November 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 2nd mile section Constructing the large Erub. on North side of Silver Lake. J. S. Leyuch – contractor F.S. H. Engr. in charge Taken Nov. 1892
Image 29: November 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal – 4th mile Constructing crib to protect the Erub. from floods from Mill Creek. Rock River at left of picture. November 1892
Image 2: September 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: Construction of concrete abutments for dams. Putting up form for middle section of abutment on north shore Carr’s Island. September 1892
Image 30: September 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: I. & M. Canal U.S. Govt camps on Carr’s Island. Quarters for men during construction of abutments and embankments. September 1892
Image 31: October 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: Illinois & Mississippi Canal. Commencement of work on her. Flick’s section. Middle of 1st mile looking east. F.S. Hunter – Engr. in charge Taken in Oct. 1892
Image 3: September 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: Construction of embankment on Carr’s Island. U.S. Govt work. J. W. Woermann – Engr. in charge. September 1892
Image 4: November 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: View of a blast in the pit at the Guard Lock. November 1892
Image 5: February 1893
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: View showing the piling nearly done, some of the piles sawed off to grade. John Killeur – Contractor A. O. Rowse – Engr. in charge. Taken February 1893
Image 6: November 1892
Cyanotype print. Description on reverse: Excavation in Lock #36 nearly done and pile-driving (with horses) begun. John Killeur – contractor. A. O. Rowse – Engr. in charge Taken Nov. 1892

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