National Register of Historic Places

Lockport Historic District

Lockport, Will County, Illinois
Listed
May 11, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75000676

About this property

The Lockport Historic District, also known as the Canal and Downtown Area, is a set of fifty-nine buildings in Lockport, Illinois. Of these, fifty-six contribute to the historical integrity of the area. The downtown district of Lockport was platted in 1836, the same year that construction began on the Illinois and Michigan Canal (I&M Canal). Two years later, Lockport was designated as the headquarters for the I&M. Due to the importance of the canal for commerce, the downtown district runs parallel to it. The district featured the Canal's barn, the Gaylord Store and Martin Elevator, the Norton Warehouse and Store, the Canal Office, and the Superintendent's Home. Most buildings in the area were constructed with locally quarried limestone. The downtown area, aside from canal-related structures, was mostly used for commercial purposes. It was laid out by Joseph Wapler, the surveyor for the I&M Canal. The oldest buildings in the district today is the Canal Office (1838) and the building at 1020 State Street. The Canal Office was converted into the Will County Historical Society Headquarters and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. An 1895 fire damaged the block between 10th and 11th streets east of State St. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 12, 1975. Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IL-16, "Lockport Historic District" HAER No. IL-16-A, "Lockport Historic District, Illinois & Michigan Canal" HAER No. IL-16-B, "Lockport Historic District, Stone Arch Bridge" HAER No. IL-16-C, "Lockport Historic District, Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, Butterfly Dam" HAER No. IL-16-D, "Lockport Historic District, Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal, Swing Bridge" HAER No. IL-16-E, "Lockport Historic District, Train Station" HAER No. IL-16-F, "Lockport Historic District, Funeral Parlor" HAER No. IL-16-G, "Lockport Historic District, Norton & Company Warehouse" HAER No. IL-16-H, "Lockport Historic District, Central High School" HAER No. IL-16-I, "Lockport Historic District, Hyland Building" National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Lockport Historic District

Location

Lockport, Will County, Illinois
41.58995, -88.05721

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Will County Historical Society Headquarters
Industrial
0.1 mi
Heck, John, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Milne, Robert, House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Fitzpatrick House
Industrial
1 mi
Illinois and Michigan Canal
Industrial
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Lockport Historic District listed on the National Register?

Lockport Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Lockport Historic District?

Lockport Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Lockport Historic District?

The period of significance for Lockport Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Lockport Historic District?

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