Latest news with #FoxRiver
CBS News
4 hours ago
- CBS News
Search underway on Fox River in St. Charles, Illinois
A search continues on the Fox River in St. Charles, Illinois, on Wednesday morning. The emergency response was called to the area of Ferson Creek Park just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Video from the scene shows emergency boats shining bright lights and slowly surveying the water. Dozens of police and fire responders, including from St. Charles and Hoffman Estates, are responding. Crews were seen searching at Ferson Creek Park, but local officials have not confirmed the reason for the search. Ferson Creek Park serves as a boat launch area with kayaks and canoes, and is surrounded by the Fox River. This is a developing story. CBS News Chicago will continue to provide updates.
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin is a living history museum
The Fox River Trolley Museum offers a one-of-a-kind experience, a ride by the river enjoying a piece of history. It doesn't look like your usual museum because it's not. There's no building, just 27 vintage rail cars built as far back as 1887. "We're a living history museum," said Jeff Bennett, chief car officer and conductor. "[In the 1890s] you had to walk to work. There weren't cars, horses were for farming. With the advent of trolleys, you could live in Geneva but work in Elgin. That was a huge game-changer. I would say it invented commuting." You'll find amazing craftsmanship on these rail cars, but there's one thing you won't find. "We're out in the beautiful summer weather and these don't have air conditioning," Bennett said. "We can use 40 windows as our cooling device." Train rides take you by the Fox River, and back in time. "When the railroad was being laid out, this was all farm land. And we go over several bridges [built] so farm animals could get to the river to get water," he explained. "You take one of these cars down the line, you ride next to the river, it's a feeling you're not going to get anywhere else." People visiting the museum the day we were there said they liked the ambiance of the train, the wind through the windows and the history that was shared. Jay Kellner said he had never had the opportunity to cruise down the Fox River in that way. "It was a nice perspective," he said. There are even vintage CTA cars, like ones used to carry commuters on Chicago's Northwest Side, on the museum train. "It served 50 years on the Chicago Elevated, the same tracks that are in use today," said Bennett. "It's been here at the museum coming up just as long as it was in regular service." But the train's snazzy looks didn't come easy. It underwent a major renovation several years ago that took 13,000 hours of work done almost completely by volunteers. "The roof, floor, window, paint, pretty much everything," Bennett said. "When we do them, we don't spare any details. The labor of love that has gone into that train, every time I look at it I smile." And no vintage CTA car would be complete without a sign that warns "No smoking. No spitting." The heyday of the trolley came to an end when the automobile era began. "When it started changing was when Henry Ford took off with his model T and Model A, and as more people could afford an automobile, fewer people needed a public mode of transportation," Bennett said. "The final demise was the onset of expressways. Now all of a sudden everybody could just go where they wanted, didn't have to wait for the next train." That's where the Fox River Trolly Museum comes in. "A huge part of what we do is interpreting history, demonstrating history," Bennett said. "Here in South Elgin we just love that we can keep this alive, keep history alive." And he has his own history there. "I can remember every summer, my grandparents bringing me out. My first visit was when I was four years old. So for, 40 years later, to be in charge of their wellbeing, to be able to operate them, be able to pass on the history to the next generation, it's just amazing," he said. "I love every part of what I do. Do you know someone a person or place that brings you joy? We want to share your story. Send us your "Eye on Chicago" ideas using the form below (or clicking here):
CBS News
14-07-2025
- Science
- CBS News
1880 shipwreck is discovered by accident in Wisconsin river
A survey of a Wisconsin river led to the accidental discovery of a shipwreck that sank in the area over a century ago. The Wisconsin Historical Society's Maritime Preservation Program and the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association were conducting a high-resolution sonar survey earlier this year of the Fox River to map "potential cultural sites" in a 2.5-mile stretch of the waterway, the historical society said on social media. Those sites included the wreck of a steamer that sank in 1870 and the identified wreck of a ship that had been surveyed in 2016. Using a sonar system that creates a 3D rendering of the river bottom, the researchers were able to map the entire section of the river in high resolution, the archaeology association said. The stretch that the team mapped has "a significant amount" of debris, the researchers said, including large trees, rocks and remnants of lumber rafts and collapsed bridges. But amid the debris, they were surprised to see the remains of what appeared to be a different ship. "That's the excitement of archaeology, sometimes we find something new that we were not looking for!" the Wisconsin Historical Society said. The scan revealed a partially buried ship's hull about 90 feet long and 23 feet wide. The wreck is likely that of the L.W. Crane, the Wisconsin Historical Society said. The ship is of a different size than the 1870 wreck the team was initially looking for. The L.W. Crane was a wooden paddle wheel steamer ship built in Berlin, Wisconsin, in 1865, the historical society said. It was used to transport passengers and freight between Green Bay and Oconto. In 1880, the ship caught fire, burned to the waterline and sank in Oshkosh. The site where it sank is directly across the river from where the wreck was found. The historical society did not say how the ship caught fire, or if anyone was aboard the vessel at the time. Further investigations at the waterway are ongoing, the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association said, but are hindered by the debris at the bottom of the river. The researchers are working to find more information about the steamer that sank in 1870, as well as the L.W. Crane and other wrecks in the area.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
1880 shipwreck is discovered by accident in Wisconsin river
A survey of a Wisconsin river led to the accidental discovery of a shipwreck that sank in the area over a century ago. The Wisconsin Historical Society's Maritime Preservation Program and the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association were conducting a high-resolution sonar survey earlier this year of the Fox River to map "potential cultural sites" in a 2.5-mile stretch of the waterway, the historical society said on social media. Those sites included the wreck of a steamer that sank in 1870 and the identified wreck of a ship that had been surveyed in 2016. Using a sonar system that creates a 3D rendering of the river bottom, the researchers were able to map the entire section of the river in high resolution, the archaeology association said. The stretch that the team mapped has "a significant amount" of debris, the researchers said, including large trees, rocks and remnants of lumber rafts and collapsed bridges. But amid the debris, they were surprised to see the remains of what appeared to be a different ship. "That's the excitement of archaeology, sometimes we find something new that we were not looking for!" the Wisconsin Historical Society said. The scan revealed a partially buried ship's hull about 90 feet long and 23 feet wide. The wreck is likely that of the L.W. Crane, the Wisconsin Historical Society said. The ship is of a different size than the 1870 wreck the team was initially looking for. The L.W. Crane was a wooden paddle wheel steamer ship built in Berlin, Wisconsin, in 1865, the historical society said. It was used to transport passengers and freight between Green Bay and Oconto. In 1880, the ship caught fire, burned to the waterline and sank in Oshkosh. The site where it sank is directly across the river from where the wreck was found. The historical society did not say how the ship caught fire, or if anyone was aboard the vessel at the time. Further investigations at the waterway are ongoing, the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association said, but are hindered by the debris at the bottom of the river. The researchers are working to find more information about the steamer that sank in 1870, as well as the L.W. Crane and other wrecks in the area. How a father's persistence unlocked his son's brilliance Global backlash grows to Trump's tariff threats Takeaways from Trump's tour of Texas flooding damage
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
Green Bay police rule out foul play in death of man found in Fox River
Green Bay police are ruling out foul play in the case of a man's body recovered from the Fox River July 1. Police were dispatched around 4:20 p.m. to reports of a body seen floating in the water near Leicht Memorial Park. The body was recovered at 4:38 p.m. Police have identified the 70-year-old Green Bay man, but are withholding his identity at the request of his next of kin, they said. Police will continue investigating his death. This the third body recovered from a Green Bay river since April, and the second one found in the Fox River. On May 9, the body of Elisabeth Babcock, 47, of Hobart, was found in the Fox River near the 100 block of Bay Beach Road. Anyone with information related to the case can call the department at 920-448-3200 and reference case No. 25-231318. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 920-432-STOP (7867). You may also submit a tip online at or utilize the "P3 Tips" app. Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@ and 920-431-8214. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay police says no foul play in body found in Fox River
