10/30/2026
Before Illinois was Illinois, it was part of Indiana. 🗺️
Of, more specifically, the Indiana Territory. Similarly, before Wisconsin was Wisconsin, it was part of the Illinois Territory—and then the Michigan Territory!
This illustration from our “The History of the I&M Canal” exhibit traces these changing names and boundaries as territories became states. Follow Illinois through the maps: part of the Northwest Territory in 1787, Indiana Territory in 1800, Illinois Territory in 1809 and, finally, a state in 1818.
Adopted on July 13, 1787, the Northwest Ordinance established the framework for that progression, allowing new states to join the Union on equal footing with the original states.
📍 Explore the stories behind the maps at the I&M Canal Visitor Center, 754 First Street in La Salle. Featuring illustrations by Tom Willcockson, the exhibit brings the canal’s history—and the events that shaped it—to life.
🔗 https://iandmcanal.org/canalexhibit
📍 754 First Street • Downtown La Salle
☕ Lock 16 Café: Wednesday-Sunday, 8 am-3 pm
🕗 Visitor Center & Gift Shop: Wednesday-Sunday, 8 am-4 pm
