The LaSalle County Genealogy Guild will meet Saturday, April 15th at the Guild Library located at 115 W. Glover. The speaker for this month is Robert Windy. The subject of his talk will be 96 miles of the I & M Canal. Robert is a graduate of I & M Docent Training Program 1999 and the historian on the Village of North Utica. He will be talking about the I & M Canal starting from 1836 – 1848, and how it was dug, who dug it, and the length and depth. Those employed by the canal from the “Mule Skinners” to the “Rudder Man”. Who was the canal engineer, along with the surveys? Also, they will cover many of the main questions about the canal from the hours worked to their pay. Passage of the 96-mile canal and what i meant to Chicago. Also, early contractors of the Illinois Valley from William Byrne, James Clark and Jeremiah Crotty. He will have some show and tell pieces of that era. Closing will be a fun filled quiz that everyone will enjoy. No test! Just fun!
