Kankakee River Bridge

[George Lortz]

Here is an interesting postcard listed on eBay.  I had to clean it up a bit.  The scene is near Thayer.

George L.

[Tom Kepshire]

You are looking south towards Thayer. The photographer is standing on the north bank of the Kankakee River. Photo more than likely dates early 1900's because the river is so wide in the shot. Straightening of the channel in that area started around 1913. No I don't have the exact date. Nice picture and one I had not seen before.

[Ken Weller]

Here is a picture of the Thayer depot; based on clothing probably early 1900s.
Depot looks to be same style/size as depots at Creston and Battleground.

Also attached is a val plan (partial?) of this area.

[John Butler]

Could this be a picture of the River in flood or highwater?  Look at the building to the left it seems as if the water is in between it and the tracks.  Also look at the telephone pole on the right it is in the water.  Furthermore the house on the other side seems perilously close to the water.  I don't think this is a picture of the river in its normal state.  I don't know if this helps date the photo or address whether or not the river is "wider" and thus an earlier photo.  It was just an observation.  What do you think Tom?

[Tom Kepshire]

John.

Prior to 1913, the Kankakee River was a wide meandering river. Land speculators, like Ben Gifford, who built the Chicago and Wabash Valley, bought land and pushed for the straightening of the river. They drains millions of acres and turned it into farm land. Here is some information: http://www.thekankakeeriver.com/

When the channel was straightened, 150 feet was filled in on the approaches to the bridge.

[John Butler]

I got the part about the Kankakee being straightened it happened all over northern Indiana.  I was wondering how you could tell the river had been straightened when it was in flood, your knowledge of the fill explains that.  I was also wondering if the flood was a significant one and thus memorable and perhaps a way to more precisely date the photograph.

[Tom Kepshire]

Floods along the Kankakee were very common prior to the project to straighten the channel. On my Bygone Site, if you look at the Shelby and Water Valley pages there are several photos, dated 1908, which show flood waters up to the NYC Kankakee Belt line. Roughly, that is a distance of about a mile and a half. Once the channel was straightened, levies were constructed along the new channel which helped limit floods, but they continue to happen and can do extensive damage. On Google Earth you can still see the old channel in many places that meandered throughout Northern Indiana. Look at the area near Wilders and you can really see the former bends of the old channel.

[Ron Marquardt]

This is what the Riverside area looked like in 1903 before they straightened the channel.  / Ron