The Fox River: History & Ecology

Rivers are an important part of our story, and ours is a defining geographical feature of Aurora. Join Mike Chuinard as he traces the environmental, social, and economic history of the Fox River.

On New Year's Day 1680, explorer René-Robert Cavelier La Salle and his party were paddling south on the Illinois River headed to Buffalo Rock. As their canoes plied the waters through the future site of Ottawa, the men quietly drifted past the mouth of the river Pestekouy (today's Fox River). Pestekouy, Algonquin for bison, attested to the rich resources and abundance of our familiar Fox River Valley.

The Fox has profoundly shaped the lives of inhabitants for thousands of years, and in turn, Pestekouy has been shaped by modern society: from dams to harness her energy for wood and grain mills to pollution from industry drawn to her banks.

An awakening social conscience led by concerned environmentalists such as “The Fox” Jim Phillips and countless others have helped restore our beautiful river. Organizations such as Friends of the Fox River and The Conservation Foundation continue this legacy.

This program is presented in partnership with The Friends of the Fox River, which works to preserve, restore and protect the Fox River Watershed’s resources by connecting people with nature through education, research, restoration and advocacy, and the Conservation Foundation, which improves the health of our communities by preserving and restoring open space and natural lands, protecting rivers and watersheds, and promoting stewardship of our environment in northeastern Illinois. 

Join us in person in at Santori Library in Room 125/126 or virtually via Zoom here. Password for Zoom: river

I acknowledge my participation (or my child’s participation) in this virtual program includes the recording of this program which may include my name as listed on my account, images and/or video footage. I grant the Aurora Public Library District my permission to use the photographs and/or video footage for any legal use, including but not limited to: publicity, copyright purposes, illustration, advertising, and web content.  
 
Furthermore, I understand that no royalty, fee or other compensation shall become payable to me by reason of such use. 

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