History
Completed in 1933, Starved Rock Lock and Dam and four of its sister locks and dams were built to create a navigable passageway for travelers and commodities to safely pass from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River and its many tributaries. Although the nearby Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal predates the Illinois Waterway by 85 years, it was limited by the size of vessels it could accommodate and by the seasons the canal was open. The Illinois Waterway is available to lock vessels throughout the year.
Specialties
Guests visiting the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center are required to wear masks while indoors as long as LaSalle County, Illinois remains in the high COVID-19 Community Levels category. Outside viewing areas remain open with no mask requirement. Masks will be required inside the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center until LaSalle County's COVID-19 Community Level drops to the Low or Medium categories A relaxing place to watch towboats and barges lock through. From the visitor center outdoor observation area, guests can watch bald eagles and mergansers in the winter and pelicans, great blue heron, and cormorants in the spring, summer, and fall. This site is the only visitor center devoted to telling the stories of the Illinois Waterway and its importance to transportation. Group on-site programs, outreach programs and boat safety classes available. Free vessel safety checks are also available. Call our Park Rangers for more information or to schedule a program, class or vessel safety check. Navigation charts, field guides and other recreation-related items are available at our gift store.