The towns along the central Illinois River were established in large part by settlers who came up the river by keel boat, packet boat, and steamboat. The river served as the main "road" for importing supplies and shipping out products. Some of the residents along the river literally lived "on" the river in houseboats.
View images of the steamboats, packet boats, barges and tow boats, and other small fishing and hunting boats that crowded the Illinois River and its lakes. See and hear audio and video clips that feature river residents recounting stories about commercial and recreational travel up and down the river. Learn the history of the river's boating traffic, through the River Traffic Timeline.
