Wandering through an area steeped in history is a wonderful way to see where we have been and where might we be headed. I, for one, love to walk the old towpath of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The canal, which was completed in 1848 and de-commisioned in 1933 provides a rare glimpse into an era where most everything was done by the hand of man. Hand cut stone locks can still be seen and inspected up close, while one can imagine wooden canal barges being towed by mules at a leisurely 3 mph. You can almost hear the shouts of boat captains and the sound of water spilling into or out of a lock. Yes, walking the canal can really set you back 150 years to a time that man will never see again. In these days of ever changing technology, a look back at 19th century technology is an eye opening experience that should not be missed.
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