Chicago 's maritime history hit its first peak during the " Golden Age " of the American steamboat . Prior to and during the Civil War era , small but fast ( in comparison with previous technology ) palace steamers carried passengers and freight over the Great Lakes to Chicago . Canal boats , meanwhile , paraded up and down the newly-dug Illinois and Michigan Canal from Chicago to the Illinois River and even the Mississippi . Maritime freight traffic enabled Chicago to make a fast recovery from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 . According to the Chicago Maritime Museum , Chicago 's ship-docking operations in 1872 exceeded that of any other port in the United States
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
Chicago Maritime Museum