Press Room --
LOCKPORT, IL—Join us at the Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery on Sunday, April 6, for “Before there was the I&M Canal, there was a Plan—The 1816 Indian Boundary Line of Northern Illinois,” an exploration of the plans laid two decades before the first shovel broke ground for the 96-mile Illinois & Michigan Canal. Given by Peg M. Kapustiak, this multi-media presentation starts at 2:00 pm and will last approximately one hour. This event is part of the I&M Canal Corridor’s month-long celebration of the canal’s history and is made possible, in part, by the I&M Canal Alliance and the Canal Corridor Association. ISM Lockport Gallery offers a variety of events through the exhibition known as our Sunday series; Ms. Kapustiak’s talk is the final event of the series that accompanies the current exhibition sketches, journals, preparations. . . Everything in Place, closing April 13, 2014. Admission to the museum and presentation is free. Seating is limited.
Illinois became a State in 1818, but two years before, in 1816, a critical portion of the Treaty of St. Louis (numerous treaties with different Native American tribes) was negotiated by William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Louisiana Purchase fame. This Treaty set aside land to build what later became the Illinois & Michigan Canal. These two boundary lines are still visible in Chicago and in Cook, Will, Kendall and DuPage counties, and they, surprisingly, still impact the roads of northern Illinois.
Peg Kapustiak’s family has lived in the area since 1832 and sold a strip of land in the northern section of their farm for the I&M Canal’s Calumet Feeder in the 1830s. The south end of their farm bordered what later became the Calumet Sag Channel. For over 30 years, she has researched the geology, geography, historical context and family history of the I&M corridor. Kapustiak has been a board member, officer and volunteer of many local historical and genealogical organizations.
Everything in Place focuses on the preparatory materials kept “at hand” that both inspire and document the creative process. Rarely seen outside of the studio or field, these preparations record all stages of the creative process, from the spark of an idea through the proposal of a final project. Likewise, they offer a glimpse of what is happening in the personal life of the maker, their insights and responses to the world around them. The exhibition includes the work of 29 artists. Also included are archaeological sketch maps from the late 19th century and the mid-20th century, plus species identification drawings. The exhibition continues through April 13, 2014.
For more information contact John Lustig, Director or Jennifer Jaskowiak, Curator at info-lockport@museum.state.il.us or 815-838-7400.
The Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery is located on the first floor of the historic Norton Building at 201 West 10th Street in Lockport, Illinois, and is fully accessible to all physically challenged individuals. Museum hours are noon to 5:00 pm on Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Museum is closed Saturdays and State Holidays. Admission is free. For information on exhibitions and related programs, becoming a member of the Friends of the Lockport Gallery, directions, or to schedule a group tour of ten or more, please visit the museum online at https://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/lockport/ or call (815) 838-7400. The Illinois State Museum Lockport Gallery is part of the Illinois State Museum system, including sites in Springfield, Rend Lake, Chicago, and Lewistown.
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