Lockport

Who would have thought a small settlement could become “The City That Made Chicago Famous”? Lockport, nestled in the Des Plaines River Valley, boasts a history as rich as the soil that first attracted settlers. Lockport wasn’t always the bustling city it is today. It began as a humble portage site for the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. Even famed explorers Joliet and Marquette passed through this very valley on their expeditions. The story of Lockport truly begins in 1830 with Armstead Runyon. He built his homestead along Fiddyment Creek, and a small village, Runyonstown, sprang up around him. But destiny had bigger plans for Lockport. William Gooding, the Chief Engineer of the Illinois and Michigan Canal project, saw the potential of this location. He recognized the 40-foot elevation advantage Lockport held over nearby Joliet. This elevation difference meant significant water-power potential. In 1837, under Gooding’s supervision, the canal headquarters were constructed here. The I&M Canal commissioners officially platted and named the town Lockport. Lockport quickly became a vital hub. It served as the canal’s headquarters and a crucial agricultural processing center. This canal, the first navigable link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, fueled the economic engine of Illinois and the entire Midwest. During its peak, the Lockport headquarters was second in importance only to the state capitol. Lockport flourished. Numerous flour mills, grain warehouses, and boatyards lined the canal. Fortunes were made by those who understood the transformative power of this waterway. Lockport officially became a town in 1853. The arrival of the Chicago and Alton Railroad in 1858 further propelled the growth of the agricultural trade. The late 19th century brought changes. The construction of the Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Calumet-Sag Channel effectively ended the grain trade on the I&M Canal. Lockport’s economic engine sputtered. But the city’s resilience shone through. In 1911, the Texas Company built its first refinery outside the Southwest right here in Lockport. The arrival of commuter trains to Chicago and the Chicago & Joliet Interurban Electric Railway further cemented Lockport’s resurgence. Lockport officially became a city in 1904. The I&M Canal, and therefore Lockport, played an undeniably crucial role in Illinois’s economic success. This waterway connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, solidifying Chicago’s position as the central hub of Midwestern trade over St. Louis. Lockport earned its title, “The City That Made Chicago Famous.” Today, Lockport continues to honor its rich heritage. The I&M Canal headquarters, a National Historic Landmark, houses the Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum. The original stone warehouses and the very first lock built on the canal still stand. These landmarks remind us of the ingenuity and hard work that built this city.