AdmiralVernon t1_j13gqbv wrote
Reply to comment by Obiwan_Salami in When this bridge in Fort Benton, Montana, USA was built 1888 it was required to have a swing span to allow steamboats to navigate. It was considered the furthest navigable point on Earth, more than 2,700 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. by triviafrenzy
Not without a canal to connect the Illinois to the Chicago. There used to be a portage used by natives for centuries followed by early European explorers, but the waterways weren’t connected until mid 19th century by the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
Obiwan_Salami t1_j13hsb7 wrote
in 1848 which predates op and fort benton in 1880. i'd still say that the south branch chicago river could have been navigable by smaller craft. but maybe not large steam boats.
blubblu t1_j13mfmd wrote
You would?
Not to sound too obtuse, but how would you know that at all?
Obiwan_Salami t1_j13mltm wrote
if indians could do it in canoes then so could pelt traders.
[deleted] t1_j18pr2c wrote
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peteroh9 t1_j141juq wrote
Doesn't matter if it's navigable if you couldn't get to it from the Illinois river. It originally flowed into Lake Michigan because it wasn't connected to the Illinois River.
[deleted] t1_j142pyc wrote
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