Lockport, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lockport
City
A portion of downtown Lockport, 2010
Flag Seal
Location of Lockport in Will County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Will
Townships	Lockport, Homer
Founded	1853
Area
• Total	11.59 sq mi (30.01 km2)
• Land	11.55 sq mi (29.90 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2)
Elevation	696 ft (212 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,094
• Density	2,260.00/sq mi (872.62/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	60441
Area codes	815 and 779
FIPS code	17-44225
GNIS feature ID	2395740
Wikimedia Commons	Lockport, Illinois
Website	www.cityoflockport.net

Lockport is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States. It is about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. The city was officially started in 1853.

Lockport is special because it sits along the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal. This canal was once very important for moving goods. Lockport was even the main office for the canal when it was busy. The city got its name from "Lock No. 1" of the canal, which is still there today. The old canal path is now a special area called the Illinois and Michigan National Heritage Corridor.

Where is Lockport?

Lockport is located on the east side of the Des Plaines River. It is just north of Joliet. The village of Lemont is also nearby, about two miles north along the river.

How Many People Live Here?

In 2020, about 26,094 people lived in Lockport. The city has grown quite a bit over the years. It is a diverse community with people from many different backgrounds.

Parks and Fun Things to Do

The Lockport Township Park District takes care of the city's parks. It was started in 1945. They manage 38 parks and offer many fun activities. Their goal is to make life better for everyone in the community.

Each park offers different things to do. You can find places for sports, open areas for kids to play, and pavilions for picnics. There are also playgrounds and other facilities.

Dellwood Park Attractions

Dellwood Park is famous for its special events in October. These include the "Hayride of Horror" and "Curse of the Bayou.'' These are haunted attractions designed to be spooky and fun. They are family-friendly and welcome everyone. If you want to help, you can even earn community service hours by acting in the haunts! These events are planned by Andrea Vaughn and her team. They work all spring and summer to create new scenes and designs.

Museums and Historic Places

Downtown Lockport has four museums that are close to each other. There are also other historic spots to explore.

Gaylord Building

The Gaylord Building is a very old and important building. It was built in 1838 using local limestone. It was first used as a warehouse. Today, it has a restaurant and galleries that show its history.

Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum

This museum is in the original 1837 Canal headquarters building. It has 10 rooms full of interesting items. You can see old tools, pictures, and papers. These show how the Canal was built and used. They also show what life was like when the Canal was busy.

The Lockport Gallery

The Lockport Gallery celebrates art from Illinois. It has changing exhibits of paintings, drawings, and sculptures. You can also see quilts and other art made by artists from the state. The gallery offers educational events and tours for all ages. It is part of the Illinois State Museum (ISM).

The gallery is located in the historic Norton Building. This building was built in 1850. It used to be a place where grain was processed. Today, it has homes, offices, shops, and the Lockport Gallery. The gallery keeps the building's original features, like large windows and high ceilings.

The Gladys Fox Museum

The Lockport Township Park District runs the Gladys Fox Museum. It is located in the Old Congregational Church, built in 1839. This beautiful building has been restored. It now holds old photographs and items that celebrate Dellwood Park and the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

Lincoln Landing

Lincoln Landing is a new outdoor park and museum. It is located south of the Gaylord Building, right next to the I&M Canal. This park shows the original path of the I&M Canal. It has a statue of Lincoln thinking about the canal. Bronze medallions are placed around the park. They share historical facts and lead you to more information.

Schools in Lockport

Lockport has several school districts for younger students and one high school district.

Taft School District 90

This district has one school called Taft School. In the 1800s, it was known as the South Lockport School.

Milne-Kelvin Grove School District 91

This district has two schools for younger students.

• Milne Grove Elementary School: This school teaches students from kindergarten through third grade.
• Kelvin Grove Middle School: This school teaches students from fourth through eighth grade. Students in sixth through eighth grade are part of the middle school program.

Will County School District 92

This is a public school district for grades K-8. It mainly serves Lockport and Homer Glen. The district has four buildings and its mascot is a bulldog.

• Walsh School: This elementary school teaches students from Pre-Kindergarten through first grade.
• Reed School: This elementary school teaches students in second and third grade.
• Ludwig School: This elementary school teaches students in fourth and fifth grade.
• Oak Prairie Junior High School: This is a junior high school for students in sixth through eighth grade. It is the newest school in the district.

High Schools

All students in Lockport attend Lockport Township High School District 205. This district has two campuses in the city. The Central Campus opened in 1910 and is for freshman students. The East Campus opened in 1964 and is for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. About 3,700 students attend this district.

Private Schools

Lockport has one private school for younger students: Saints Dennis & Joseph Catholic Academy. There are also two private high schools nearby: Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox and Joliet Catholic Academy in Joliet.

Getting Around Lockport

Lockport has a train station for Metra's Heritage Corridor line. This train service runs on weekdays during busy hours. It connects Lockport to Joliet and Union Station in Chicago.

Pace also offers bus service in Lockport. Routes 832 and 834 connect Lockport to downtown Joliet and other places.

Main Roads

Important highways in Lockport include:

• Interstate 355
• Historic US 66
• Route 7 (159th Street)
• Route 53
• Route 171 (State Street)

Famous People from Lockport

Many interesting people have connections to Lockport, including:

• Louis Bottino: An Illinois state representative and educator.
• Harry Decker: A baseball player who played many positions in Major League Baseball.
• Jim Donahue: A catcher for several baseball teams.
• Tom Haller: A catcher for the San Francisco Giants and other teams.
• Richaun Holmes: A basketball player for the Washington Wizards.
• John Lane Sr.: The person who invented the steel plow.
• Austin O'Connor (wrestler): A two-time NCAA Champion wrestler.
• Daniel H. Paddock: An Illinois state representative and lawyer.
• CM Punk: A professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.
• Luke Scanlan: A Wisconsin State Assemblyman and farmer.
• Alando Tucker: A basketball player for the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves.
• Mike Zimmer: A former head coach for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL.

Sister City

Lockport has a special connection with a city in Italy:

• - Asiago, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy

Images for kids

• 

  Lock #3 of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in Lockport.

See also

In Spanish: Lockport (Illinois) para niños