The Race to Reverse the River — A Chicago Stories Documentary

Chicago was growing by leaps and bounds throughout the 19th century. The frontier town quickly grew into the largest metropolis in the Midwest. But as Chicago’s profile and population grew, a hidden killer was taking lives. Sewage and waste was being dumped into the Chicago River and polluting Lake Michigan, the source of the city’s drinking water. Officials were left with no other option but to embark on a daring design to reshape part of the natural world – and reverse the flow of the Chicago River.

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#ChicagoStoriesWTTW

[boataxe]

St.Louis was pissed, but they got their revenge by turning that water into Budweiser and shipping it right back to Chicago.

[repairdrive]

Only a town in 1833 and hosting the World's Fair in 1893?!? Chicago grew FAST!!!

[cheriemcfadden]

Lived in Chicago all my life and NEVER was taught this. I'm so grateful for WTTW and youtube! I feel smarter already!!

[sblack]

I’m always impressed by how they built infrastructure buildings to be beautiful in those days. That pumping station is a work of art.

[raoulcruz]

My dad told me about work camps such as mentioned in this documentary. He said there were long tables for the workers to eat at. Tin pans were nailed to the table and food put in the pans. A group of workers would sit and eat. Afterwards someone with a rag would wipe all the pans. The next group of workers would sit there and eat from those pans.

[flashcar]

I believe that pic of a man standing by Bubbly Creek was Philip Armour of the Armour meatpacking company. He was looking for a way to capitalize on all that pork fat in the creek. Thus he went into the soap business. If I am not mistaken, Dial soap is a modern product of that venture.

[wademills]

The reason you keep having more flooding is because you have such a big area with concrete, asphalt and buildings. It’s not bigger rain events.

[davidelliott]

River Trent in the East Midlands of England is large (for UK) and meandering river. 50 years ago it was heavily polluted. Today we have trout and salmon. Water cleanliness that nobody dreamed possible.

[kendallkahl]

I grew up around LA and have been to Chicago a few times and its definitely a more down to earth place.

[mackpines]

Just fascinating.
I thought the Willamette River through Portland was badly polluted back in the days, the Chicago River was a hundred times worse.

[air]

I love this series of Chicago Stories. WTTW 😍🤗

[sonyagair]

Wow, I have learned something new today. Thx for sharing 😊

[dedrakuhn]

The race to send the sewer water down the river in the other direction to other towns downstream

[benmcreynolds]

At some point during the reversing the river project and having to raise & lift the downtown project; Somebody had to have said: "Geeze someone really should have picked a different spot to first build this city?" ~it's mind boggling the amount of effort and giant projects that needed to be done in order to make Chicago liveable. It's absolutely crazy but I'm very fascinated with it all.

[mard]

So they could have filtered it like other cities, but chose for over a hundred years to dump waste into the is insane.

[davidelliott]

England’s port cities from Newcastle on Tyne to London originally installed sewers perpendicular to the river. It cost £Billions to install interceptor sewers and many were not completed until 1980s. Newcastle with its steep banks to the narrow Tyne estuary was especially difficult. But especially important because the in-out of the tides meant river water (complete with sewage) took many days to reach the sea.

[knighttuttruptuttrup]

I grew up north of the city and always wondered the history of the river. This was very informative. Thanks!

[Davidlyle]

The concept of actually treating sewage and drinking water was the only the actual winner here. I live in Colorado essentially the highest point in the US where the water SHOULD be safest to drink, 🙄 every so often we have some tourist who drinks from one of our “clear mountain streams” and suffers greatly for it. Surface water isn’t really safe to drink and really probably never was. For millennia humans have been digging wells. Even that has it’s risks but it’s about as safe as safe as your going to get.

[joshjones]

This is simply great video thank you ....👍👍👍👍👍

[trainerskulbd]

After watching this, it is amazing to think any of us are alive