For more than 150 years, the Calumet River has been integral to Chicago’s economy, but its heavily industrialized nature has left it polluted and unsuitable for recreational use. A city-led planning process, driven by community advocates, aims to transform the river, though this will be a multi-decade undertaking.
Initially lined with grain elevators, the river’s landscape shifted dramatically in 1875 with the opening of a steel mill near 109th Street. This marked the beginning of Southeast Chicago’s manufacturing boom, with several mills employing tens of thousands and producing steel for iconic structures like the Sears Tower. However, the decline of the US steel industry in the 1980s, symbolized by the closure of Wisconsin Steel in 1980, left the riverfront populated with bulk storage, scrap metal, and warehousing businesses. “Steel mills were the economic engine for this community,” notes Rod Sellers, director of the Southeast Chicago Historical Museum. “People came for the jobs. They stayed for their whole lives.” This industrial history also brought three waves of immigration to the Southeast Side, according to Sellers: Northern Europeans, Slavic immigrants, and later, Mexicans and African Americans during the Great Migration.
Now, community advocates envision a future where residents can enjoy recreational activities alongside the existing businesses. “What the community would like to see is more opportunity for residential and commercial development — to no longer be so inundated by industry,” explains Yessenia Balcazar, senior planning manager for the Southeast Environmental Task Force. Her organization recently hosted a boat tour, documenting the river’s current state. The tour, which started at Crowley’s Yacht Yard and traversed the river past industrial sites like the Ford Assembly Plant and the former U.S. Steel South Works, highlighted the stark contrast between industrial activity and the potential for recreational use.
Chicago’s commitment to reforming land-use policies in low-income communities, following a federal civil rights investigation and a subsequent binding agreement in 2023, provides a framework for this transformation. Adam Flickinger, planning director for Friends of the Chicago River, emphasizes the long-term vision required: “It’s really thinking now what that future looks like.” While a complete revitalization will take decades, the planning process offers a path toward a more vibrant and accessible Calumet River.