Crib Tenders
The City of Chicago sought to solve the problem of drawing polluted water from Lake Michigans shoreline by drawing water from further out in the lake through a tunnel. The first crib was completed in 1867. It stood two-miles out into Lake Michigan off Chicago Avenue. This enormous structurefifty feet in diameter and seventy feet longwas built on shore, floated out into the lake, and sunk into the lake bed. It was connected to a brick tunnel that had been built under the lake bed and brought water to shore. Three more cribs/water intakes were constructed out in Lake Michigan: Wilson Avenue, William E. Dever (east of Chicago River, 1935), and 68th Avenue (1909).
The isolated cribs were maintained by crews who lived and worked far from most Chicagoans. Tenders maintained the structures, so vital to Chicagos water supply. By the mid-twentieth century, four-person crews manned the cribs for a week at a time.
Exterior of the Carter H. Harrison Water Intake Crib, 1910
This is an exterior view of the Carter H. Harrison Water Intake Crib two miles from the shore in Lake Michigan. Crews of men lived here and maintained the water intake tunnel.
See also: Water Supply; Lake Michigan
Well Room of the Carter H. Harrison Water Intake Crib, 1910
This is a 1910 view of the well room of the Carter H. Harrison water intake crib. Crews of men lived here and maintained the water intake crib and tunnel.
See also: Water Supply; Lake Michigan
Kitchen of the 68th Street Water Intake Crib, 1930
This is a 1930 view of the crew of the 68th Street water intake crib in their kitchen. The crews at the cribs lived and worked in close quarters two miles out into Lake Michigan.
See also: Water Supply; Housekeeping
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