Which corridor became the first National Heritage Corridor designated by the U.S. Congress?

The Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor became the first National Heritage Corridor designated by the U.S. Congress.

Congress designated the corridor in 1984 around the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal in northeastern Illinois. The canal connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and helped make Chicago a major transportation center before the railroad era.

The canal opened in 1848 and ran about 96 miles from the Chicago River to the Illinois River near LaSalle. It carried freight and linked two major drainage basins, while towns along its route developed around locks, aqueducts, warehouses, and towpaths.

The National Heritage Corridor model differs from a conventional national park. It protects and interprets a broad landscape through partnerships among federal, state, local, nonprofit, and private organizations. The canal itself ceased transportation operations in 1933, but many historic structures and segments remain preserved.