11/19/2017

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles is a nice small town on the Illinois-Michigan Canal. It's at a point on the canal were the water falls several feet through locks. This created an opportunity to generate power. The river's present course has been straightened. The former river bed acts as a mill race and was used to direct flow to the hydropower station in the photo above. That power station, built in 1911 and doesn't seem to be in service anymore. Several other water powered factories were built on the small island that was created by rerouting the river. The only one that's still standing is the massive Nabisco box factory in the photo below. That plant was built in 1921 and operated until 2002. It is now abandoned and portions are ruined. There is a parking area and a small park on the river bank near the old Nabisco plant. The mill race for the box plant is easy to get to from the parking area. I'm not sure if it's possible to get to the factory itself. I didn't try. If possible, it would require some bushwhacking and getting across the mill race. But there is enough to see on the other side of the channel to make it an interesting place to stop.

 

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

Marseilles Illinois

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