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Dedicated Nature Preserve
Shoreline fishing. Old quarry in Cermak Woods is suitable for paraplegics
Slopes for winter coasting
Area notable for wildflowers and other interesting vegetation
Wildlife refuge
Salt Creek Division Headquarters
Forest Preserve District Nursery
Chicago Zoological Park (Brookfield Zoo)
Site of Checkerboard Flying Field-terminal for first commercial airmail service
Forest Preserve District central warehouse, shops and garage
Flying field for model airplanes
Hoffman Dam and Tower
Cermak Swimming Pool
Stony Ford Canoe Launch -- Chicago Portage Canoe Trail maps available
Laughton's Ford
Site of Laughton Trading Post
Catherine Mitchell Lagoon
The Chicago Portage-National Historic Site
Boat Launching Site
Toboggan Slides and Warming Shelter
In the Salt Creek Division there are two well-constructed and mowed trails, north and south of Salt Creek, from the county line to a point east of Wolf Road where they connect. East of that point the trails are only suitable for hikers as far as Prairie Avenue and 81st Street. From that intersection, eastward and southward, there are footpaths and sidewalks but no trails.
More information about Forest Preserve Trails
See also: Chicago Portage National Historic Site.
The Chicago Portage was one of the most important locations in early North America. Here was the passage to the west where the most important Indian trails merged, and through here was the best route between the St. Lawrence and Mississippi Waterways. Those trails followed the beach ridges, of glacial Lake Chicago , which radiated from this outlet.
High among thc factors that contributed to Chicago's growth from a trading post to a great city, was the existence of this portage. Here was the Gateway to the fur trade, coveted alike by the Indians, the French and British traders, and the American pioneers.
This place, except during floods, was the eastern end of the water route from the Mississippi. During dry weather periods the Des Plaines River became unnavigable and the traders were obliged to make the "Long Portage" of some eighty miles from the headwaters of the Illinois River below Ottawa. Laughton's Ford on the "Ottawa Trail" and the site of Laughton's Trading Post lie within the northern limits of this Historic Site. Other river crossings in this vicinity, Stony Ford and Riverside Ford, carried Indian trails northerly to connections with the Green Bay Trail at Gross Point. The usefulness of this Portage ended with the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848 and the construction of the Southwestern Plank Road (Ogden Avenue) in 1850.
This page is based on a publication of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois, adapted for the web as a public service by CLONK. This web site is unofficial, and not associated in any way with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. CLONK is not responsible for any errors, either in the original publication or in this web version. The information presented here follows the original Forest Preserve District publication as closely as possible, with minor variations such as choice of typeface and added web links. CLONK cautions that items such as names of public servants and telephone numbers are subject to change!
This web version was completed Spring, 2000.
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