Lockport, Illinois

"The city that made Chicago famous"

Illinois is the nation’s most populous inland state. Its successful growth is due in large part to the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a revolutionary development that linked the Great Lakes to the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The Canal was vital to the development of the city of Chicago and to the economic development of the Midwest; the Canal also fostered the growth of the small settlement that became the City of Lockport. The Des Plaines River Valley was a portage site for the Des Plaines River for the Miami and Potawatomi, and explorers Joliet and Marquette traversed the region on their journeys.

Geography

Lockport is located at 41°35′19″N 88°2′50″W (41.588659, -88.047267)., which touches the village of Lemont.

Demographics

The city, along with Homer Township within the city limits, continues to develop both in terms of many new (and newer construction) homes and new businesses entering the area.

Although the population was 15,191 at the 2000 census (and then estimated it would be 22,161 in 2005), a special census of 2003 counted 25,191 people, 13,599 households, and 12,137 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,144.3 people per square mile (828.4/km²). There were 5,835 housing units at an average density of 823.7 per square mile (318.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.82% White, 1.11% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.34% of the population.

There were 8,599 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city, the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 male The median income for a household in the city was $72,231, and the median income for a family was $81,717. Males had a median income of $65,759 versus $42,551 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,939. About 3.2% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Created in 1945, the Lockport Township Park District provides park areas and recreation programs in order to enrich the quality of life of the community. The Park District has created many opportunities of renovating and beautifying existing parks and initiating the building of a number of new parks in recent years such as Brent Hassert Park, Rotary Park, Sunset Park, Theodore Marsh Playground, Willow Walk, and Clover Ridge Park to name a few. Each location offers an array of recreational experiences that includes one or more of the following: open play and open spaces, playgrounds, areas for sports such as soccer and baseball, trails for outdoor fitness, a place for games such as horseshoes and volleyball, pavilions for family picnics and parties, spray parks and handicap access. In essence, the Lockport Township Park District maintains 38 parks or approximately 950 acres.

Museums

An interesting feature of Downtown Lockport is its four museums all within walking distance of one another. These museums hold collections of importance to the city, county, state, and country. From time to time they also host traveling exhibits from as far away as the Smithsonian.

Lockport also has a unique outdoor museum known as the Lincoln Landing. Directly adjacent to the I&M Canal, the Lincoln Landing contains a number of historical markers that visitors can explore.

The Gaylord Building played a vital role in one of the great enterprises of the 19th century: the Illinois & Michigan Canal. A landmark since 1838, its many tenants and uses exemplify the canal’s commercial success as the key to mastery of the American mid-continent. This handsome limestone warehouse originally stored canal construction materials and later housed a variety of commercial ventures. Today it is a national example of adaptive re-use and serves as a gateway to the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor. Guests can explore the heritage of the region in the exhibition galleries, and dine in the renowned Public Landing Restaurant.

The Gaylord Building is a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Located in the original 1837 Canal headquarters building, the Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum offers 10 rooms filled with artifacts, pictures and documents relating to the construction and operation of the Canal, as well as period items specific to the region during the height of the Canal’s operation.

The Lockport Gallery celebrates Illinois through changing exhibits featuring paintings, drawings, sculptures, quilts and other media created by the state’s artists and artisans. These rotating, theme-based exhibits are supplemented and showcased through educational events, group tours and outreach programs for all ages.

An Illinois State Museum (ISM) facility, the Lockport Gallery is located in a structure that is itself a work of art and history. The historic Norton Building was constructed on the banks of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1850 to serve as a grain-processing facility. Today the building is a multi-use facility housing residential lofts, offices, commercial space and the Lockport Gallery. The Gallery’s space gracefully incorporates the building’s original features, including large windows — once arched portals used for loading and unloading — high ceilings and hardwood floors.

Maintained by the Lockport Township Park District, the Gladys Fox Museum is located in the 1839 Old Congregational Church. Beautifully restored, this historic building is now home to the museum’s collection of historical photographs and memorabilia celebrating Dellwood Park and the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

Newly constructed by the Give Something Back Foundation, the Lincoln Landing is a spectacular open air park and museum. The park shows the original I & M Canal lines with a statue of Lincoln contemplating the canal. Bronze medallions are placed all about the park with historical information. Each medallion then leads you to another with connected information.

Taft School District 90

Taft School District 90 lies almost entirely within the southwest part of Lockport. The district dates from before 1888. In the 19th century it was called school district #9 of Lockport Township, and its school was called the South Lockport School. The district now has one school, called Taft School.

Milne-Kelvin Grove School District 91

Milne-Kelvin Grove School District 91, also known as Lockport School District 91, lies almost entirely within the west central part of Lockport. It has two grade schools.

Milne Grove has kindergarten through grade three.

Kelvin Grove has grades four through eight; sixth through eighth grade operate as a middle school.

Other public schools

Three other grade school districts cover parts of Lockport. The eastern part of Lockport is in Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C. The northern part of Lockport is in Will County School District 92. The southern part of Lockport is served by the Fairmont School District 89.

All of the city is in Lockport Township High School District 205, which operates Lockport Township High School at a Central and East campus, both in the city.

Private schools

Lockport has two private grade schools: Saint Dennis (Catholic) School at 1201 S. Washington St. and St. Joseph (Catholic) School at 529 S. Madison St.

There are also various Private High Schools in the area, such as Providence Catholic and Joliet Catholic Academy. JCA-online.org

Transportation

Lockport has a station on Metra's Heritage Corridor, which provides weekday rush hour rail service between Joliet, Illinois, and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station). Lockport is very close to Metra's Rock Island District.

Major highways

Major highways in Lockport include:

In popular culture

Some scenes in the 2009 film Public Enemies were shot in Lockport.

Notable people