Shall We Gather at the River: Chicago's First River Swim in Almost a Century

 Once upon a time, the Chicago River, as rivers usually do, flowed into Lake Michigan.  The rapidly growing city used the river as its public sewer, sending our nasty stuff out into the same lake from which we drew our drinking water.  Strangely enough, this resulted in deadly outbreaks of cholera and other unpleasantness, so at the turn of the 20th century we started a massive public works project and built the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, an engineering marvel that allowed the flow of the river to be reversed and for our sewage to float down the Mississippi to become New Orleans's problem.

We were so proud of this that in 1927 we held a Chicago River Swim and then, due to increasing pollution, we banned it from happening ever again - until this year.  Organizers tried it again in 2024, drawing over 1,100 applicants, but the city denied the necessary permit citing,safety concerns.  The event was shifted to Lake Michigan, where $200,000 was raised for charity.

This year the concerns somehow disappeared, so a permit was issued, and on Sunday, September 21st, nonprofit A Long Swim organized 500 qualified swimmers diving in from the Chicago Riverwalk for either two or one mile heats.

The event benefits ALS research at Northwestern's Feinberg School, as well as swim safety education for Chicago's at-risk children.

swimmers gather along the Chicago Riverwalk

First two-mile swimmers crossing the finish line

First one-mile swimmers lining up

Photographer takes a kayak

The Secret Garden: some views of Chicago's magnificent Burnham Nature Sanctuary

The Burnham Wildlife Corridor is one Chicago's hidden jewels, a 100-acre ribbon that stretches from 47th to Oakwood/39th.

I've visited McCormick Bird Sanctuary at the north end many times, but I had never figured out how to get to the Burnham Nature Sanctuary, at the south end.

Until yesterday.

Turns out it's accessed from the back of the parking lot off of 47th just west of Lake Shore Drive.

And it's magnificent. A thin strip of paradise nestled between the speeding traffic of Lake Shore Drive and clanking trains of the Metra electric tracks.

Soaring trees, ferns, flowers, butterflies, meeting places. Except when the Drive and the tracks pop into view, you can forget you're in the city.

Plus, unlike the Bird Sanctuary, where you're more liable to share your visit with other people because of the proximity to McCormick Place, there's a good chance you'll be able to experience the Burnham Nature Sanctuary all on your lonesome. My only companions were butterflies, bugs and birds - I didn't encounter a single other human being during my visit.

Bewarned, however, some of the paths are fairly narrow, and once you enter off 47th, the only way out is to double-back or go all the way to Oakwood/39th. Go before everything turns to winter.

The Sanctuary also includes several gathering spaces,openings with seating and, in the case of Sankofa for the Earth, this artwork by Arlene Turner Crawford, Dorian Sylvain and the South Side Community Art Center, which includes this mixed-media. "Sankofa" bird.

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