Help preserve and protect what is important to you. Support the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area Today!
Dear Visitor,
The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area (IMCNHA) connects with people on many levels. A canal corridor experience makes the past personal, gives joy in the moment and offers hope for the future. All of these experiences are possible because of our generous donors who value America’s first national heritage area.
How has IMCHA impacted you, your family or your community?
Does it make the past personal? The Canal defines our local history, tells our national American story.
Have you….
… discovered your own family history, a reason your ancestors came to this place?
… walked in the footsteps of Abe Lincoln or Chief Shabbona?
… lived history by boarding the mule-pulled I&M Canal Boat?
Does it give you joy today? More than 100 miles invite us all to simply enjoy the day and our time together. Do you …
… hop on the canal’s miles of towpath to run, walk, ride your bike or walk your dog?
… encourage children to imagine they are intrepid explorers beside a tallgrass prairie? 
… gather your BFFs for a high-tea or treasure-hunting in charming canal towns?
Does it give you hope for the future? Individuals and entire communities join together to ensure the Canal Corridor welcomes generations to come. Are you…
… committed to maintaining historic buildings and structures that would otherwise be lost forever?
… determined to restore native landscapes and protect endangered wildlife for your children and grandchildren?
… invested in the economic viability and survival of the canal towns and their residents?
Whatever your connection, we invite you to become a supporter of the I&M Canal and help us continue to protect and promote this special place.
By joining with us, you help us show the National Park Service and the United States Congress how much we care about the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area and want to see its stories shared, its resources protected, it uses continued.
Your support enables us to:
- Maintain and enhance IMCNHA experiences—from outdoor interpretive and directional signage to I&M Canal Boat tours, scenic trails and much more.
- Provide school children with educational and engaging field trips to canal sites including the I&M Canal Boat, and the I&M Canal Award at the State History Day.
- Advocate for maintaining and preserving our historic, natural, and cultural resources in this 862 square mile region of five counties and 60 communities.
- Promote economic development throughout the Canal Corridor, welcoming visitors from around the world.
Click Here to visit the donate page or call (815) 220-1848×1838.
Thank you for your support of the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area (IMCNHA) through the Canal Corridor Association.
Best regards,
Ana B. Koval
President
Without your support, it would be impossible for this national treasure to survive. We invite you to donate today.
