Discovering Our Lakeshore: From Rogers Park to the Indiana Dunes

After returning from a hiking trip in the United Kingdom, journalist Michael McColly realized that another hiking adventure existed in his own front yard. One hot summer morning, he took off from his apartment near Tobey Prinz Beach on a two-day journey that would take him through 63 miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline, from Rogers Park to the Indiana Dunes.

As he walked through lakeshore parks, industrial ruins, superfund sites and every variety of urban neighborhood, he discovered remarkable patterns of urban nature and surprising beauty on his way.

Come along on a virtual walk along the path he took through five cities and two states, as told in his book, Walking Chicago’s Coast: A 63 Mile Journey to the Indiana Dunes.

A combination of memoir and environmental reporting, McColly’s book is a form of advocacy in that he asks us to witness where we live from the ground, so that we can cherish and revere the multiple histories—human and nonhuman–that shape our cities, our lives, and our planetary future.

To learn more about McColly and his newest work, see his website: www.michaelmccolly.net 

This Living History program is free and open to all. Register in advance to reserve your spot and help us plan.