When you think of old structures in Chicago, the Water Tower (1869) or Hull House (1856) might come to mind. Yet even older than these is a little-known marker on a desolate road near the Indiana border—and it’s Chicago’s oldest monument.
I had the opportunity to share Chicago’s Oldest Monument with Geoffrey Baer of WTTW for their Chicago Mysteries special. Watch Chicago Mysteries here to learn more and catch us jumping across the state line!
Location is Everything
Wedged between a former industrial plant, train tracks, and power lines, Chicago’s oldest monument doesn’t stand in the most illustrious location. Yet location is exactly why it was erected.
When Indiana (1816) and Illinois (1818) became states, surveyors mapped the official boundary line. Boundary surveying was necessary to sell land in the new states, and commemorative markers often noted the newly established boundary lines. After three years of work, they marked the northern endpoint near Lake Michigan with a post made of pine. After a second survey in 1833, the surveyor general replaced the pine post with something sturdier.
Economical and Practical
This was no Water Tower. The marker was to be “as economical as it was practical.” In 1838, the Illinois-Indiana State Boundary Marker was erected. Made of sandstone blocks, the fifteen-foot-tall obelisk was the traditional shape for commemorative markers.
The site is isolated today, so you can imagine how remote it was in 1838 when Chicago was located ten miles away. According to author John R. Schmidt, the shifting sand dunes along Lake Michigan often covered it completely.
Making Moves
Curiously, the marker built to denote location did not stay in one place. Industry grew around the marker, including the State Line Generating Station. The station was the largest electric generating station in the world for twenty-five years.
By the 1980s, the marker was looking shabby and was the victim of vandalization. Allen J. Benson, a ComEd executive at the nearby plant, persuaded his company to sponsor the restoration in partnership with groups like the East Side Historical Society.
In 1988, the marker was relocated near the plant gate 191 feet north of its original site but still on the state line. Although Benson didn’t live to see the marker’s new location or new base, a plaque next to the marker bears his name.
Missing Plaques
Unfortunately, the closing of the plant in 2012 spelled trouble for the 185-year-old marker. While the State Line Generating Plant was active, its security guards monitored the Illinois-Indiana State Boundary Marker. According to DNAinfo, neither the Illinois Preservation Agency nor the city Landmarks Commission knows who owns Chicago’s oldest monument. Thus, the city isn’t responsible for protecting it.
In 2015, DNAinfo reported that vandals had stolen three of the marker’s four brass plaques. They read “Boundary of Illinois,” “Boundary of Indiana,” and noted its location. There are no plans to replace the plaques.
Visiting the Marker
In 2002, the marker became a Chicago Landmark. Yet this distinguished monument can be tricky to visit. Schmidt recommends driving to Calumet Park and heading south on Crilly Drive then turning right on Avenue G. Just before the railroad tracks, turn southeast on a nameless access road and follow it to the end.
Uncertain Future
With the future of the plant’s former site still uncertain, no one knows who the marker’s next neighbor might be and whether they’ll be willing to help protect the boundary marker. Here’s hoping that the agencies in Illinois and Indiana can work together to preserve this historic remnant of the region’s past.
Sources
- Banik, Jerry. “The State Line Generating Station.” Whiting-Robertsdale Historical Society, Dec. 2020.
- Bauer, Kelly. “No One Is Fixing the 177-Year-Old Monument Separating Us from Indiana.” DNAinfo Chicago, DNAinfo Chicago, 8 June 2015.
- “Illinois-Indiana State Line Boundary Marker.” Chicago Landmarks, City of Chicago.
- Khan, Maham. “One of the Oldest City Landmarks Soon to Become an Orphan.” DNAinfo Chicago, DNAinfo Chicago, 26 Nov. 2012.
- Schmidt, John R. Hidden Chicago Landmarks, The History Press, Charleston, SC, 2019, pp. 86–88.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
