If you stand on almost any bridge in downtown Chicago today, the river below seems perfectly ordinary. It glides past glass towers and tour boats, then bends away to the southwest. What most people on the railings do not realize is that this river is flowing in the “wrong” direction and that Chicago did that deliberately!
Back in the 1800s, the Chicago River drained into Lake Michigan, carrying sewage straight into the same water the city drank. As outbreaks of typhoid and cholera made it clear that the lake was being poisoned, city leaders picked an idea that sounded absolutely bizarre: reverse the river, send the dirty water away from the lake, and use gravity to push it toward the Mississippi basin.
Engineers realized that just west of Chicago lies a subtle “subcontinental divide,” a high point that decides whether water flows east or west. By carving a 28-mile channel deeper than both the lake and the river, they let gravity do the rest. On January 2, 1900, workers quietly broke the final dam, flipping the current forever.
The “For Our Health” exhibit
The McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum in the historic Southwest bridgehouse is the perfect outing for curious minds who want to peel back the layers of our urban landscape. It is a five-story spiral through the beating heart of our waterways with its“For Our Health” exhibit. It is an awe-inspiring story of visionary public works and the legendary Deep Tunnel, a 109-mile labyrinth carved 300 feet into the limestone bedrock beneath the streets. Here you’ll find models to explore and it’s totally kid-friendly — inspiring to young minds.
Inspiring the next generation of engineers
If that kind of mind-blowing, discovery intrigues you, the exploration does not have to stop at the riverbank. This is the exact same spirit of wonder coming to life right now at the Mini Genius Lab inside The iO Theater (1501 N Kingsbury St). This interactive workshop is the perfect outing for curious minds aged six and up, turning parents and kids into real scientists for a 60-minute adventure. Giggles and gasps fill the room as a high-energy “mad scientist” guides everyone through swirling, fizzing dry ice experiments and giant soap bubbles.
Just as the reversal of the river’s flow used physics to do something that feels like magic, Mini Genius Lab is both informative and fun. It’s designed to get your kids interested in science outside of school and, who knows, maybe create Chicago’s next generation of engineers!
🧪Mini Genius Lab
📍Where: The iO Theater, 1501 N Kingsbury St, 60642
📅When: June 20 and 21
🕰️Time: 10 am, 11.45 am, 2.30 pm & 4.15 pm
🚗Parking: 1531 N Kingsbury St Parking, 939 W. North Ave Garage & Lincoln Park Center
🚌Public transport: Chicago Loop (Red Line to North/Clybourn station)
